Details
MONTFORD C.P. MONTFORD
SJ 41 SW
9/147 Church of Saint Chad
13.6.58
GV II*
Parish church. 1735-8, by William Cooper of Shrewsbury, restored and
porch added in 1884. Dressed red sandstone with red and yellow/grey
sandstone ashlar dressings. Slate roofs. Three-bay nave with north
porch, one-bay chancel, and west tower. Tower: 3 stages. Tall
chamfered plinth, chamfered offsets, and chamfered-offset to battlemented
parapet with chamfered coping. Weathervane. Round-arched 2-light
louvred belfry openings, each with curved Y-tracery, and staff-moulded
architrave with impost blocks and keystone. Second-stage with keyed
oculus to west and round-arched 2-light windows to north and south, each
with curved Y-tracery and architrave (moulded to arch ) with impost
blocks and keystone. Small first-stage round-arched windows to north
and south, each with leaded glazing and architrave (moulded to arch)
with imposts and keystone. Blocked round-arched west doorway with
moulded architrave and keystone. Circa 1884 lean-to to south with
chamfered plinth, parapet to side with moulded stone coping, chamfered
circular window to west and nail-studded boarded door to south with
strap hinges. Clock above second-stage window to north. Nave: high
chamfered plinth (rubblestone sub-plinth), moulded stone eaves cornice,
and parapeted gable ends with stone copings, that to left with c.1884
cross at apex. Round-arched 2-light windows, each with curved Y-
tracery,and surround with moulded cill, flanking pilasters with raised
and fielded panels, and moulded arch with keystone. Small round-arched
window to right of north doorway, inserted in 1884, with plain architrave,
imposts and keystone. North doorway inserted in 1884; chamfered round
arch with impost mouldings, hoodmould, panelled keystone with moulded top
and fluted base, and pair of nail-studded boarded doors with strap hinges.
Porch with chamfered plinth and parapeted gable with moulded coping and
cross at apex. Chamfered round arch with impost mouldings, raised
panelled keystone with moulded top and fluted lower part, and hoodmould;
pair of nail-studded boarded doors with strap hinges. Chamfered circular
windows to sides. Side benches within. Tablet in nave wall to left of
porch, inscribed in memory of Hannah Williams, d. 23. July 1820. Chancel:
chamfered plinth, moulded stone eaves cornice and parapeted gable end with
moulded coping and cross at apex. Round-arched 3-light east window with
surround consisting of moulded cill, flanking pilasters with raised and
fielded panels, and moulded arch with keystone. C19 window inserted to
south with 2 moulded depressed-arched lights. Interior: C18 five-bay
roof consisting of king-post trusses with cambered tie-beams, pairs of
purlins and probably C19 wall plate with billet ornament. Chancel roof
with late C19 trefoil-barrel boarding and moulded wallplate and ribs.
Round chancel arch on corbels. West gallery of 1:1:1 bays with 2 cast-
iron columns supporting frieze and cornice, and front with raised and
fielded panels, dies with raised and fielded panels, and moulded rail.
North door with chamfered rear arch. C18 oak door to tower with 6 raised
and fielded panels. Fittings: C18 raised and fielded oak dado panelling
to nave and chancel, ramped up to east (possibly remains of former box
pews). C19 reredos with figures. Possibly C18 free-standing oak column
to left of altar. C20 oak altar rails with turned balusters. C20 oak
choir stalls. C19 wooden pulpit, lectern and pews. C19 octagonal painted
stone font with step and iron-bound wooden cover. Probably C19 rood above
chancel arch. Royal coat of arms under gallery (painted on canvas).
Some C19 stained glass. Encaustic tiles to sanctuary. There is known
to have been a church on this site in the C13. A brief for the rebuilding
of the church, for £1482, was issued in 1733-4. William Cooper was
admitted as a member of the Company of Carpenters, Tylers and Brickmakers
of Shrewsbury on 29 June 1727. To the north of the chancel lies a stone
(not included on this list) inscribed: "This Chancel / of Montfort / was
Built in / the Year 1737". The 1884 restoration cost £700. The church
stands in an exposed position high above the River Severn. The parents
of Charles Darwin are buried in the churchyard. B.O.E., p. 203; D.H.S..
Cranage, An Architectural Account of the Churches of Shropshire (Part 9),
pp. 766-7; Colvin, p. 233; Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire and
Shropshire (1900), p. 150.
Listing NGR: SJ4188814776
