Details
SJ 50 NE WROXETER C.P. WROXETER
6/160 Church of St Andrew
13.6.58
GV I
Parish church. Anglo-Saxon work incorporating Roman masonry, early C16,
circa 1763, restored circa 1863 and tower restored and porch added in 1890.
Coursed sandstone rubble chancel, dressed red and grey sandstone nave and
base of tower, and grey sandstone ashlar top stages to tower; plain tile
roofs. Nave, south porch, chancel, south vestry, and west tower. Tower:
early C16 on C12 first stage visible to north and south. 3 stages; plinth,
diagonal buttresses with 4 offsets, chamfered and moulded string courses,
moulded string with corner gargoyles to battlemented parapet, and pyramidal
cap with weathervane; semi-octagonal stair turret to north-east with broaches
to square first stage and pyramidal cap; re-used carved fragments in west,
north and east fronts said to have come from Haughmond Abbey [Uffington C.P.
(q.v.)] at the time of the Dissolution including canopied niches, some with
figures, and ceiling bosses; 4-centred arched belfry openings with 2 trefoil-
headed louvred lights, and returned hoodmoulds; chamfered rectangular
openings to second stage; large first stage 4-centred diamond-leaded 3-
light west window with panelled tracery, moulded reveals, and returned
hoodmould. Nave: Anglo-Saxon north wall incorporating Roman blocks with
lewis holes, south arcade and south aisle rebuilt circa 1763 with dentil
brick eaves cornice and stone-coped parapeted gale ends; south side: three
C19 windows with 2 cinquefoil-headed lights, Y-tracery, and chamfered reveals;
C19 chamfered-arched doorway to left with pair of boarded doors, and porch
of 1890 with buttresses, parapeted gable, double chamfered archway with
hoodmould with carved stops, and string; chamfered double lancets and carved
frieze to sides; fragment of probably C17 cross shaft set high up in nave
wall with carved interlace, foliage and dragon, and 2 flanking reset blocks
with carved beast and bird, probably also C7; north side: Anglo-Saxon
to left with probably C13 addition to right (see straight joint); remains
of probably Saxon blocked window to left; C13 triple stepped lancets to
left with chamfered reveals, central 4-centred arched early C16 window with
3 cinquefoil-headed lights, panelled tracery, and moulded reveals, and paired
lancets to right. Chancel: C12 incorporating some Roman masonry to north;
C12 cill string; central blocked C12 priest's doorway to south with one
order of shafts, chevron decoration and hoodmould with carved volute stops,
and blocked C14 window interrupting string to right with 2 cinquefoil-headed
lights, Y-tracery, and moulded reveals; north side has two C12 windows with
chamfered reveals; early C16 Tudor-arched 5-light east window with panelled
tracery, moulded reveals, and hoodmould; evidence of former triple east
lancets in disturbed masonry to each side, and small C12 window in gable
above. Vestry: circa 1763; dentil brick eaves cornice and stone-coped
parapeted gable end; 2 small-paned square windows with projecting keystones
flanking central round-arched boarded doorway with architrave, impost blocks,
and projecting keystones; commemorative plaque beneath right-hand window
inscribed: "Underneath was interred/the Body/of Mrs Susanna Buckley/of
Salop. Widow/who died March 9th 1807,/Aged 83 Years". Interior: C18 coved
ceiling to nave with moulded cornice; probably early C16 chancel roof of
3 bays with tie-beams, arch-braced collars, and moulded purlins; chamfered
tower arch probably of more than one period with carved foliated capitals;
moulded late C12 chancel arch with clustered shafts, carved stiff leaf,
waterleaf and trumpet capitals, and reused Anglo-Saxon carved stone at
base of right-hand shafts depicting a bird pecking at a worm; chancel
string carried as hoodmould over blocked C17 priest's doorway with dogtooth
ornament; small C12 round-arched window, and round wooden archway between
chancel and vestry; aumbry in east wall of chancel and trefoil-arched Easter
sepulchre with ball flower ornament in north wall. Fittings include: late
C19 west gallery with arcaded front; painted communion and benefactors'
boards; painted Royal coats-of-arms in nave and chancel, C18 in nave;
large round font formed from the base of a Roman column, with C19 wooden
top; C19 panelled box pews; C17 five-sided wooden pulpit has panelled
square base and carved decoration; choir stalls incorporating C17 panelling;
C17 panelling to step up to communion rails of circa 1637 with turned
balusters and carved rail; C17 communion table; panelled reredos; hatch-
ment on north wall of chancel, and coat-of-arms and hatchment in vestry.
Monuments: excellent series of 3 chest memorials; that to Lord Chief Justice
Bromley (died 1555) and his wife has carved shields with angel supports in end
panels, side with shields and central female figure divided by strips with
candelabra decoration, and 2 recumbent effigies; that to Sir Richard Newport
(died 1570) and his wife, daughter of the Lord Chief Justice, with chain
of mourners to sides, spiral-fluted corner piers, and 2 recumbent alabaster
effigies; that to John Barber and his wife (died 1618) with strapwork panels, Tuscan
columns, and 2 recumbent effigies; large marble monument against blocked
south-east chancel window to Francis Newport, Earl of Bradford (died 1708)
with trabeated arch, central urn with 2 mourning putti, gadrooned base,
and coat-of-arms above; C17 oval plaque on south side of chancel to
Andrew Newport Esq (died July 1 1610) and brass plaques in nave to Thomas
Alcocke (died 5 March 1627) and Samuel Edwards (died 22 April 1725).
Stained glass: east window by David Evans depicting the 12 Apostles and
2 stories. There is said to be a C13 parish chest but this was not noted
at the time of survey (February 1985). D.H.S. Cranage, An Architectural
Account of the Churches of Shropshire, Vol.7, Pp.651-60; B.o.E., Pp.327-8.
Listing NGR: SJ5632908248