Details
SJ 5623-5723 MORETON CORBET C.P. MORETON CORBET
18/63 Church of Saint
28.10.60 Bartholomew
GV I
Parish church. C12 chancel and nave, south aisle added c.1330-40, west
tower of c.1539 with top stage added or rebuilt in 1769 (datestone)
at the expense of Andrew Corbet. Squire's pew added and west and east
walls of chancel refaced or rebuilt in 1778 (datestone) for the rector,
William Clarke, and whole church restored in 1883 at the expense of
Sir Vincent R. Corbet (d.1891). Dressed red sandstone (C12) and grey
sandstone ashlar; plain tile roofs. Nave, chancel, south aisle with
squire's pew, and west tower. Tower: 3 stages. Double moulded plinth,
diagonal west buttresses rising to approximately ¾ of height of tower
with chamfered offsets, string course to top stage, cill string to belfry;
moulded cornice, plain parapet with inscribed cartouche to west [illegible
at time of survey (January 1986) except for date: 1769] and corner pinnacles
which each have shallow ogee-headed panels with carved flaming urns
on pedestals, and truncated crocketed caps (removed after lightening
strike; see pair flanking war memorial to west - not included on this
list). Stair turret to north-east with chamfered rectangular openings.
Louvred 2-light belfry openings with Y-tracery, moulded architraves,
and bracketed cills. C16 second stage west window of 3 trefoil-headed
lights with panelled tracery, moulded reveals, and returned hoodmould.
West doorway has a pair of C19 boarded doors with strap hinges, Tudor-
arch with broach-stopped chamfered reveals, carved spandrels with foliage
and shields, moulded square head, and returned hoodmould with carved
Prince of Wales feathers and rose,and carved stops (left-hand missing).
Nave: parapeted gable end to east with moulded kneelers. Central C18
buttress with chamfered plinth and 2 chamfered offsets and pair of flanking
early C19 two-light windows with Y-tracery and double-chamfered reveals;
blocked C18 round-arched window to left with keystone (partly obscured
by left-hand window). C19 dressed grey sandstone lean-to to right incorporating
fragments of dressed and carved masonry; 4-panelled door to right.
Two early C19 tablets flanking central nave buttress. Chancel: parapeted
gable end with moulded kneelers and coping. South side: straight-headed
window to right of 2 trefoil-headed lights with double-chamfered reveals.
Boarded priest's door to left with chamfered reveals and returned hoodmould
with square stop. North side: C18 refacing or rebuilding. Single small
round-arched window to left. East end: 2 large flanking plain buttresses
with chamfered plinths and offsets. 3-light window with intersecting
tracery and hoodmould with inverted bell-type stops (lower parts of
window possibly medieval). Datestone in apex of gable inscribed: "W:C/Rectr:
1778". Early C19 tablet on north wall to Thomas Ray (d. Oct. 27 1823).
South aisle: moulded plinth, diagonal buttresses with chamfered offsets
and gabled tops and bases, coved eaves cornice, and parapeted gable
ends with coved coping and moulded kneelers, and cross at apex to west.
West end: moulded spherical-triangular window (of Alberbury - not included
on this list) with cusped intersecting tracery. East end: plain buttress
to right. Large window of 4 trefoil-headed lights with cusped flowing
tracery, moulded reveals, and returned hoodmould. Squire's Pew: chamfered
plinth, parapeted gable end with coved coping and weathered trefoiled
kneelers, and integral diagonal brick corner stack to right. 3-light
south window with intersecting tracery, moulded reveals, and hoodmould
with inverted bell-type stops. Interior: probably C16 four-bay nave
roof consisting of chamfered arch-braced collars with central pendants,
V-struts, and 2 pairs of purlins, upper set with cusped wind braces.
Tall double-chamfered tower arch with moulded capitals and bases. West
gallery under tower with stick balusters. 3-bay C14 arcade consisting
of quatrefoil-section piers with moulded bases and capitals, double
hollow-chamfered arches, and continuous hoodmould. 4-bay south aisle
roof with braced collars and 2 pairs of purlins. Moulded trefoiled
piscina with shaped bowl and square aumbry in south aisle. Blocked
door in south wall of aisle. 2 steps up to Squire's pew with moulded
arch dying into responds and hoodmould, returned to left and with carved
head stop to right; trussed-rafter roof. Continuously double-chamfered
chancel arch. Hagioscope or squint between chancel and south aisle.
Arch-braced trussed-rafter chancel roof with collars. Remains of C17
round-arched window in south wall of chancel, incorporated in sedile
with bracket to support widening at left. Porch beneath west tower
with chamfered ogee-arched doorway to stair turret. Fittings: chancel
remodelled by Sir Ninian Comper in 1905 in memory of Vincent Stewart Corbet
(d.1904, aged 13) [churchyard monument (q.v.)]. Altar with moulded
base and marble top. Panelling behind with carved uprights depicting
squirrels in oak leaves, and battlemented top. Painted wooden reredos
set back in window with marble base. 3 bays; central posts resting
on backs of 2 alabaster elephants and castles and carved squirrels on
tops of shafts. Posts with moulded bases and buttresses. Cusped spandrels,
vaulted soffit with carved bosses and transverse arches, and cresting to
front. 2 small figures of the Annunciation free-standing against the
glass. Canopy above reredos with pendants, pierced cusped spandrels,
carved angels at front corners, frieze and latticed soffit. East wall
and reveal of east window with painted (and gold leaf) Morris-type stencilled
decoration. Roof with painted chevron decoration. C17 wooden pulpit
(2 panels high) with carved lozenges, carved bands and frieze, and arcaded
top. C17 reader's desk with 2-panelled front, carved arabesques, guilloche
borders and carved frieze; side panels with lozenges and rosettes.
C17 parish chest in chancel. C19 pews, possibly incorporating earlier
materials. Circa 1800 octagonal stone Gothic font with tall trefoiled
arcading, and semi-circular niche in each arch; wooden cover dated 1918.
Squire's Pew: C19 wainscot panelling with quatrefoil frieze, C19 fireplace
with cast-iron grate, ceramic-tiled reveals and hearth, and surround
with quatrefoil frieze. Mid-C18 rails (possibly former communion rails)
with turned balusters (grouped in 4 at ends and at gate), moulded ramped
handrail, and central gate. Two probably early C19 benefactors' boards
in west gallery. Stained glass: Comper glass in east window. Good
glass in east window of south aisle dated 1892 in memory of Vincent
Rowland Corbet. Fragments of Medieval stained glass incorporated in
internal west doors and west window. Painted armorial glass in Squire's
pew dated 1790. Good series of Corbet and other monuments; in south
isle: chest tomb to Sir Robert Corbet (d.1513) and his wife; 3 x 6
bays with crocketed cinquefoil ogee panels, carved frieze, and 2 recumbent
effigies. Chest tomb to Sir Richard Corbet (d.1567) and his wife;
2 x 5 bays divided by turned half-balusters; each bay with large painted
shield resting on elephant or owl below; central panel with child in
swaddling clothes, rose bush with lily growing out of it, and a panel
below with a squirrel and foliage. Two late C17 style tablets with
Latin inscriptions; right-hand has cartouche with flanking drapery,
acanthus brackets, 2 pairs of flanking putti, and similar cartouche
above topped by flaming urn; and left-hand has cartouche with 2 pairs
of ravens in flanking foliage, inverted bell-type bracket below, and
smaller cartouche above topped by elephant and castle. Tablet dated
1770 to the four sons of Richard Corbet (Andrew, Vincent, Richard and
George); coloured marble; triangular pediment with cartouche and raven
in tympanum, wreathed flaming urn above, and resting on brackets with
husk drops below; bottom with frieze, 2 winged angels and inverted
bell-style bracket. Charlotte Corbet (d.1771); coloured marble; tablet
with putto standing by wreathed urn with drapery and in front of obelisk;
shield and flanking husk drops above; heavy cornice with brackets and
flanking scrolls; base with guttae. Large wall tablet to Sir Andrew
Corbet (d.1790) with drapery over, and elephant and castle above.
Elizabeth Mary Baldock (d.1894); coloured marbles; tablet with lugged
central panel, winged angels head at top, Ionic pilasters, segmental
pediment with shell, and brackets at base with putti. Monuments in
Squire's pew: Richard Corbet (d.1691), in corner; painted grey stone;
large fluted Corinthian pilasters, full-entablature with pulvinated
frieze, breaking forward over columns, and open scrolled pediment with
ravens over ends and central cartouche. Central moulded Gothic-arched
recess with keystone and imposts and demi figure of the deceased.
Base with large volute brackets beneath pilasters and large central
winged angel's head. Frances Corbet (d.1760); painted stone tablet;
unfluted Ionic half-columns on pedestals with oval paterae and supporting
entablature, breaking forward over columns with oval paterae, and large
semi-urn above; base with fluted brackets and central shield with raven
on branch. D.H.S. Cranage, An Architectural Account of the Churches
of Shropshire, Part 8, pp.700-4; B.O.E., pp.203-4; Kelly's Directory
of Shropshire and Herefordshire (1905), pp.155-6; Colvin, p.664; The
Archeological Journal, Vol. CXIII,, pp.221-2.
Listing NGR: SJ5611523240
