Church of St John the Evangelist

Details

CRADLEY

815/19/374 STORRIDGE 12-APR-73 CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST

II

Parish church of 1856 by Frederick Preedy.

MATERIALS: Hammer-dressed sandstone laid in regular courses, Broseley-tile roof.

PLAN: Rectangular plan of nave with lower and narrower chancel west tower and spire, south porch.

EXTERIOR: The church is in simple Decorated style. In the buttressed 3-bay nave the windows are pairs of cusped lights, incorporating small blind crosses in the spandrels. The south door has continuous chamfer and exuberant fake strap hinges The porch also has an entrance arch with continuous chamfer, and cusped side windows. The 2-bay chancel has single cusped north and south windows, and 3-light east window, and angle buttresses. A priest's door is on the south side. The tower is 2 stages, below a stone broach spire with lucarnes, 106 feet high. The tower has angle buttresses in the lower stage, a tall cusped west window and, on the north side, door to the stair turret. The bell stage has paired flanked by single bell openings recessed in arched panels, with louvres.

INTERIOR: The double-chamfered tower arch dies into the imposts. The nave has 6 arched-brace trusses, alternately on corbelled brackets, of which the corbels are carved with foliage. The chancel arch has polygonal responds with chamfered arch. The chancel is richer, and has a 3-bay arched-brace roof on corbelled posts, and windbraces. Corbels are carved with foliage and heads. In the south wall is a cusped piscina with corbelled basin, and window seats. The stone reredos, originally painted crimson, has rich diaper work and, behind the altar, 3 quatrefoils filled by a figure of Christ and Lord's Prayer and Apostle's Creed inscriptions. Walls are plastered. Floors are stone paved, except for Minton decorative tiles around the font and in the chancel, and wood floors below the pews.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: The font has a square bowl on 4 squat shafts with foliage capitals. The elaborate cover is a tall broach spirelet with lucarnes, probably designed by Preedy. The stone pulpit was probably also Preedy's work, a sculpted angel on a pedestal that is integrated with a dwarf wall spanning the chancel arch, which has central iron gates and low railings. Iron lamp holders are on wall brackets beside the pulpit. Deal benches have moulded ends. Oak choir stalls have scrollwork tops and open arcading to the fronts. The wooden communion rail is on iron standards with scroll brackets. The east window shows the crucifixion.

HISTORY: Built in 1856 by Frederick Preedy of Worcester, who also made the east window. The contractor was George McCann of Malvern.

SOURCES: N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Herefordshire, 1963, p 293. Hereford Journal, 28/8/1856.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The church of St John the Evangelist, Storridge, is listed Grade II for the following principal reasons: * It is a well-designed and well-preserved example of C19 Gothic-revival architecture. * It retains original interior fittings, mainly designed by the architect, including reredos and stained-glass east window.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

151156

Legacy System:

LBS

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