here - St Matthew`s Walsall

Ch r isti ans hav e wo rsh ip pe d o n th is sit e for at le ast th e l ast 8 00 ye a rs d ur in g wh ich tim e t he
p a ris h ch urc h h as d omi nat ed t he v iew of th e Hig h St re et a nd t he t own. T he Chu rch is first
m ent io ne d i n 1 20 0 a nd t he Cr ypt c ont a ins Ea rl y En gl ish la ncet w in dows. In 1 25 8 the
p at ro na ge of th e l ivi ng w as g ra nte d to t h e Ab be y of Ha les owe n wh ich t he Ab bot e xerc i s ed
u nt il t he Disso lut io n of t he Mon aste ri es i n 15 38. Alt ho ug h d ed icat ed t o A ll Sa i nts as ea rl y as
1 3 91, t he Chu rch has be en know n as St. Ma tth ew's si nce t he 18t h ce ntu r y. Th is may h av e
b e en li n ke d to t he An nu al Fai r Da y w hic h o p er ate d fr om th e 1 2th c ent ur y.
T he best know n vi ew of St. Matt hew's is pr o ba bl y t he W est fr ont w ith t he 17 0 fo ot so a ri ng
s pi re as se en f rom t he m ar ket i n th e Hi gh Str eet. W he n a pp ro ach in g th e ch urc h fr om St
Ma tth ew’s Clos e yo u ca n se e th e co ntr ast betw ee n th e sa ndst on e o f t he f ifte e nth ce nt ur y
c ha nce l a nd t he Bat h sto ne w hic h n ow enc ases t he nav e a nd t owe r.
Re b ui ld in g a nd e xte nd in g th e ch a nce l b ega n in 14 62. Sto ne f or t he new w or k w as ha u le d
fr om qu ar ri es at Br ewo od an d S utto n Co ldfi e ld w hi le t imb er c ame f rom t he Pr io r of
S a ndw el l's wo ods. T he pa ra pet an d t he t ra ce r y of t he c ha nce l wi nd ows we re rest ore d in
1 8 79 -8 0. A pa rt fr om th e g re at E ast wi nd ow t he c ha nce l wi nd ows we re m od el le d o n t he on e
r em ai ni ng pe rp en dic ul ar -st yl e wi nd ow wh ic h h ad be en bl oc ke d u p fo r th e vest r y a n d or ga n
l oft.
T he c ur io us o pe n a rchw a y u nd er t he east e n d us ed t o p rov id e a n e ntr anc e to t h e cryp t a nd,
l i ke th at at t he m ag nif ice nt ch urc h of St. Ma r y Redc liff e, B rist ol, w as p ro ba bl y bu ilt t o a ll ow
f oot pat h acc ess to bot h n ort h a nd s o uth si d es of t he c hu rc h ya r d si nce t he c ha nce l h a d b ee n
e xte nd ed t o th e th en east er n l imit of th e ch u rch ya r d. Th is is c le ar f rom t he v iew of th e
c hu rch pu bl ish ed in 17 98. Nich es o n th e ea st si de of th e a rch m a y r ep res ent op en ing s as an
e xam in ati on of th e o utsi de of th e wa ll w il l r ev ea l. Th e a rchw a y us ed t o b e muc h ta ll e r; th e
g r ou nd lev el has bu ilt up ove r th e ce nt urie s so t hat m ost of t he do orw a y to t he c r yp t is now
b e low t he gr ou nd.
T he c r ypt is th e o ld est p art of th e ch urc h. It c ons ists of tw o r ooms.
T he in ne r o r west er n r oom has a fi ne v au lt ed ro of wit h sa ndst on e r ibs. T he east er n w al l of
t his in ne r r oom c ont ai ns two v er y go od e xa mp les of 1 2th c ent ur y la ncet w in dows and tr aces
o f wh at ma y be a b loc ked -u p No rma n d oorw a y. In th e b ac k wa ll of th is r oom t he re a r e th e
r em ai ns of an aum br y (a sm al l cu pb oa rd, u su al l y n ea r a n a lta r wh er e th e r ese rve d
s acr ame nt is kept f or adm in iste ri ng t o th e sic k). T he do orw a y l ea di ng t o th e sta irs t o th e
v estr y use d to le ad t o a st ai rcas e co nn ecti n g wit h th e ch anc el ab ove.
T he la rg er o ut er ro om is pa rt of t he 15t h c ent ur y e xte nsi on an d h as a ba rr el -va ult ed r oof an d
a sma ll bl oc ke d p er pe nd icu la r -st yl e do orwa y l ea di ng b y a s pi ra l sta irc ase t o th e n ort h si de
o f th e ch anc el, as we ll as a w oo de n d o or t o th e a rchw a y. Th er e is als o a c ast - ir on p l aq ue
d et ai li ng t he inc re ase d se ati ng res ult in g fr om Go odw in's rest or ati on; t his is a lmost t he s ame
a s th e p la qu e i n th e so uth po rch.
Du r in g th e r esto rat io n of t he nav e i n 1 81 9 - 2 1 ca rr ie d o ut b y t he arc hit ect Fr anc is Go o dwi n
t he e xte ri or of th e n ave an d tow er w as g ive n a two -i nch t hic k c la dd in g of Bat h sto ne. Al l th e
o l d wi nd ows we re re pl ace d b y la rg er, pe rp e nd icu la r -st yl e w in dows w ith c ast - ir on t ra ce r y.
T he s pi re w as r esto re d i n 1 95 1 a lth ou gh th e ea rl iest rest or ati on w as ca rr ie d o ut b y J oh n
B r own in 16 69. Su bse qu ent l y th e sp ir e de ve lo pe d suc h a tw ist th at it ha d to be rep l ace d i n
1 7 79. T he t owe r cl oc k e rect ed in 18 65 is th e lat est i n a s er ies be gi nn in g wit h a c himi n g
cl oc k in 14 46. W he n th e p res ent c loc k f ace s we re f itte d, th at o n th e west er n si de wa s g ive n
o p al gl ass so t hat it co ul d b e l it at ni ght. A t th e tim e th e ce ntr e of t he di al w as th e la r gest
s he et of s uch gl ass to be m an ufact ur ed. Th e w est d oo r i n g oth ic st yl e r ep lac es a T usc an
p o rtic o wh ich ha d b ee n b ui lt i n th e l ate 1 8t h ce ntu r y.
T he pe al of twe lve be lls inc lu des f ou r d atin g f rom bef or e 1 55 3, a not he r b efo re 1 65 6 an d
a n oth er c ast i n 1 67 4. Jos ep h Sm ith of E dg b asto n r ecast t he ' gr eat be ll ' i n 1 73 1. B y 17 75
t he re w er e e ig ht b el ls a nd t he y w er e a ll re cast b y Th omas Rud ha ll of G lo ucest er. Nu mb er 5
is i nscr ib ed, "W hen yo u us r in g, we' ll sw ee tl y s in g. Th omas Rud ha ll, Gl ouc este r, 1 77 5 ". In
1 8 63 t he t re bl e a nd s eco nd be ll w er e ad de d an d wh en al l te n we re rec ast b y T a yl or an d Co.
o f L ou gh bo ro ug h i n 1 92 8 th e pr ese nt Numb e rs 1 an d 2 w er e a dd ed. In 1 98 1 a n ew 5. 25 cwt.
s ha rp s eco nd be ll in m emo r y of Miss Ne ll is Home r was c ast b y T a yl or's t o ma ke th e fr o nt
e i ght be lls int o a c omp let e oct ave.
A cr oss th e r oa d fr om th e so uth po rch st and th e mem or ia l g ar de ns d esi gn ed as p art o f a
g e ne ra l sch eme f or t he ar ea ar ou nd t he ch u rch b y G. A. Je ll ico e, FRIB A, a lso inc lud i ng t he
S t Matt hew ’s Ce ntr e. Th e g ar de ns sta nd on th e sit e of t he or ig in al pa ris h h al l. A me mo ri al
st on e was unv ei le d b y H. R. H. P r inc ess Ma r ga ret in 19 51.
T he l ych gat e wit h th e te xt ab ove " I am t he Res ur rect io n a nd t he Lif e" w as b ui lt i n 19 2 7 as a
m emo ri al t o G eo rg e a nd Cath er in e S. Gi ll a n d r ep lac es wr ou ght -i ro n g ates w hic h h ad h ad a
l am p i n th e ov ert hr ow. Th e ch urc h ya rd ra il i ngs w er e ta ken awa y f or sc ra p to he lp t he wa r
e ffo rt d ur in g th e S eco nd W or ld W ar. At the fo ot of t he st on e ste ps l ea di ng dow n f rom t he
w est d oo r of t he c hu rch t owa rds t he t own is a n o pe n a ir pu lp it of 19 22, bu ilt he r e as a wa r
m emo ri al.
T he c hu rch ya r d co nta ins gr aves be ar in g th e nam es of m an y f amo us W alsa ll f ami li es. T o th e
e ast of th e S out h P orc h sta nds on e of t h e m ost i nte rest in g i nscr ipt io ns o n a he adsto n e to a
f orm er be ad le an d b el lr in ge r. In 17 56 t his c hu rch ya r d was f ul l so t he Bat h St re et c emet er y
w as c o nsec rat ed
T he la rg e so uth po rch is th e ma in ent ra nce to t he c hu rch an d co nta ins a sma ll c er amic
t ab let c ommem or ati ng t he rest or ati on of 18 1 9 - 21, a l ar ge r cast ir on t ab let als o
c ommem or ati ng t he w or k of 1 81 9 - 21, as w el l as tw o wo od en bo ar ds co nta in in g a n
im pr ess ive list of i ncum be nts a nd pat ro ns fr om 12 11 t o th e p res ent da y.
T he nav e was c omp let el y re bu ilt in 18 19/2 1 t o th e d esi gn of th e a rch itect Fra ncis G o odw in,
f ol low in g th e e xisti ng ‘fo otp ri nt’. T his w ork i nc lu de d th e p res ent ga ll er ies, t he s le nd e r cast i r on c ol umns as we ll as th e i ro n wi nd ow tra ce r y. A t hr ee dec ker pu l p it was als o i nst al le d at
t his t ime but rem ove d i n 1 88 0. A dd iti on al i r on c ol umns w er e a dd ed be ne ath t he g all e ri es i n
t he 18 30s; t his w or k w as d esi gn ed b y a not he r p rom in ent arc hit ect G eo rg e B asev i.
G o odw in als o r eo rg an i ze d th e n ave s eat i ng wit h n ew p ews wh ich w er e l ar ge l y r ep lac ed w ith
c ha irs in 18 80. T he imp ress ive nav e ce il in g res emb li ng f an -va ult in g is f orm ed of mo u ld ed
p l aste r.
T his be lo ngs t o th e 1 5th c ent ur y alt ho u gh t he al ab aste r r im a nd le ad li ni ng ar e 1 8th c ent ur y,
t he le ad li ni ng be in g i nscr ib ed w ith t he i niti a ls of tw o ch urc hwa rd ens Rich a r d B ur rows an d
S am ue l Cr ad doc k an d a T ud or Rose an d a mas k w ith t he dat e 1 71 2. Th e i nit ia ls NS ma y be
t hos e of t he m a ke r, Nat ha ni el Sh ort, pl umb e r. Th e l imest on e b owl c ar ri es th e co ats o f a r m s
o f th e B ea uch amps, oth er f ami li es a nd on t he w este rn f ace t he s ym bo ls of t he Passi o n: th e
Cr oss an d Cr own of Th or ns, th e S op, t he S p ea r a nd t he Sco ur ges. T he f ont has sto o d i n
t his loc ati on s inc e 1 98 0.Th e si de c ha pe ls
T he re has be en a St. Clem ent's c ha p el on t he no rth s id e of t he nav e si nce 14 6 8. Th e
c ha pe l was la id out as a w ar m emo ri al in t he ea rl y 19 20s. St Cl eme nt is t he pat ro n s ai nt of
t an ne rs.
In 1 97 4/7 5 St. Cath er in e's ch ap e l was f itte d w ith a scr ee n a nd a b ea utif ul m od er n st ai ne d
g l ass -w in dow an d acts as th e ch il dr en's ch a pe l a nd c rec he. T he re is a n im pr essiv e m emo ri al
t o S er ge ant Maj or W il li am P urv is, o ne of th e 60 0 wh o ch ar ge d wit h th e L ig ht B ri g ade , o n th e
w est wa ll. T he re w as b ee n a c ha pe l h er e de dic ate d to St Cat he ri ne b y 1 50 2.
T his w as set up in 19 15 as th e r esu lt of a be qu est b y Mrs Sm yt h n ee W isem an. A fin e
e xam pl e of t he Arts & Cr afts st yl e it w as d es ig ne d b y C. E. B atem an, FRIBA, of B irmi n gh am
a n d was c arv ed b y Jos ep h P hi ll ips w ho wa s r esp ons ib le f or w oo dca rvi ng in t he An gl ic an
Ca th ed ra l i n L ive rp oo l. Its sl en de r co lumn s we re des ig ne d to ens ur e th at th e co n gr e gat io n
c ou ld s ee t hr ou gh t o th e ch anc el an d its ea st wi nd ow. A lo ng t he sc re en ar e fiv e sh ie l ds
w hic h ca rr y emb lems of th e P assi on s imi la r t o th ose on t he f ont. From left t o r ig ht th e y ar e:
•
•
•
•
•
( a)
( b)
(c )
( d)
( e)
th e
th e
th e
th e
th e
P il la r, Ro pe an d Sc ou rg es,
Tu nic,
Cross, La dd er, Ree d a nd Sp on ge,
Cr own of Th or ns a nd t he Nai ls
Coc k an d Mo ne y - b ag.
T he c ha nce l was re bu ilt t o its pr ese n t d ime ns io ns i n th e mi d 1 5th c ent ur y, an d was r est or ed
i n 18 79 -8 0 b y t he arc hit ect E ua n Ch rist ian of Lo nd on. T he t rac er y of a ll t he w in dows w as
r e pl ace d a nd t he m od el f or t hos e o n th e no rt h a nd s out h si des w as th at imm ed iat el y on t he
n o rth as yo u p ass th ro ug h th e scr ee n fr om t he nav e, wh ich w as d iscov er ed bl oc ked u p a nd in
p r isti ne c on dit io n, a f in e e xamp le of p er pe n dic ul ar w or k. T he east w in dow ha d b een as a
r o un d- he ad ed Qu ee n A nn e st yl e fo r a ce nt ur y an d a ha lf. Th is was re pl ace d b y t he p r ese nt
p e rp en dic ul ar -st yl e tr ace r y a nd gl a ze d i n m emo r y of Sist er Dor a wh o h ad di ed on Ch r istmas
E ve 18 78. T he re re dos re pr ese nts th e S up p er of Emm aus, w ith s up po rti ng an ge ls on e ith er
si d e. Th e p isci na, s ed il ia an d sto ne gos pe l lect er n we re re disc ove re d a nd rest or ed i n 18 80.
Tr ac es r ema in betw ee n som e of t he w in dows of fo rme r n ich es fo r stat ues sw ept away a t th e
Re fo rmat io n. Th re e 1 5th c ent ur y do orw a ys w er e fo un d at t he 18 80 rest or ati on. Tw o on t he
n o rth s id e l ea d to t he c r ypt, t hat on t he so ut h l ea ds th ro ug h th e th ic kn e ss of t h e wa l l to t he
c hu rch ya r d.
T he c ho ir st al ls co nta in t he f in est me di eva l w oo dca rvi ng in t he ol d co unt y of St affor ds hi re.
T he arm rests an d b enc h e nds c ont ai n wel l - pr es erv ed 15t h ce ntu r y fi gu res an d p opp y h ea ds.
T he m ise ric or ds i n th e b ac k r ows of t he sta l ls com pr ise on e of t he gr eat t re asu res of t he
c hu rch f or t he y pr ob ab l y b el on g to t he p eri o d of re -b ui ld in g a nd re -fu rn ish in g of t he l at e 1 5th
c ent ur y w he n th e tow n was al re ad y t hr ivi ng .
T he re ar e n o two id ent ica l d esi gns, as can b e se en f rom t he f ol lo w in g l ist:
S o uth s id e, fr om west t o e ast No rt h si de, f rom w est to east
· 1: Fol ia ge
· 1: An ge l ( rest or ed )
· 2: Tr e e fo li ag e wit h b ir d
· 2: Mill e r ca rr yi n g sac k
· 3: Mas k wit h p rot ud in g to ng ue
· 3: Pe lic an pec kin g b re ast
· 4: Gr in ni ng m as k
· 4: An ge l h ol di ng s hi el d
· 5: Mas k wit h p ecu li ar ea rs · 5: Le af
· 6: A r ecum be nt h art
· 6: Man in c lo a k a nd ho od
· 7: Arc he r - ha lf ma n, h alf be ast
· 7: Dou bl e - he ad ed s pr ea d - ea gl ed bi r d
· 8: Arc he r - ha lf ma n, h alf be ast ( dam age d )
· 8: Cle an -sh ave n ma n i n b elt ed t un ic
· 9: Oa k le af a nd aco rns
· 9: Run ni ng be ast wit h l io n's fe et a n d h ors e's t ai l
T he re is a t ra dit io n th at th e se ats cam e fro m Ha les owe n A bb e y at t he Disso lut io n i n 15 38
b ut t he re is n o wr itte n ev id enc e fo r th is.
T he or ga n was re bu ilt an d e nl ar ge d i n 1 95 2 -3 alt ho ug h it w as o ri gi na ll y bu ilt in 17 73 b y
S am ue l G re en of L on do n, wh o was t he o utst an di ng or ga n b ui ld er of th e tim e. Th er e ar e
m or e Cat he dr al an d Co ll eg iat e o rg ans of G r ee n's co nstr ucti on t ha n a n y ot he r. Am on g his
Ca th ed ra l o rg ans ar e th ose of Ca nte rb ur y, W ells, S al isb ur y, Roch este r a nd Lic hfi eld a nd
t hos e of New Co ll eg e O xf or d a nd T ri nit y Co l le ge Dub li n. Th e h ym n tu ne ' Darw al l's 1 4 8th' s et
t o 'Y e Ho l y A ng els Br ig ht' was pr o ba bl y giv en its fi rst p ub lic pe rfo rma nce on t his org a n fo r
t he t un e h ad be en c omp ose d b y t h e th en V ic ar of W alsa ll, Rev. J. Da rwa ll. T he re w as a
m aj or ref ur bis hme nt of t he or ga n i n 1 99 9 -2 0 00.
T he ol dest st ai ne d g lass in t he c hu rch is th at of th e g re at west w in dow. T he w in dow w as
d am ag ed b y th e g as e xpl osi on of 1 8 47, an d w as r esto re d i n 1 85 2.
T he st ai ne d g lass in t he c ha nce l a ll dat es fr om 18 80 t o 1 90 8. Th e e ast wi nd ow
c ommem or ates t he lif e of Sist er Dor a, a nd is (l i ke m ost of t he c ha nce l g lass ) th e wo r k of
Me ssrs Bu rl i so n & Gr yl ls. On e wi nd ow, on th e n ort h si de ne ar est to t he east en d, is b y
Cl a yt on & B el l.
In th e n ave, t he ‘L ig ht of t he w or ld ’ wi nd ow, ne ar t he f ont, is b y Bu rl iso n & Gr yl ls (19 2 1),
w hi lst th e so uth ais le w in dows, t he St Cath e ri ne ’s ch ap el w in dow an d th at of ‘S ir Va l ia nt’ in
t he in ne r p orc h a re b y G od da rd & G ib bs, a n d d ate f rom 19 60 t o 1 97 4.
T he f ou r wi nd ows d ep icti ng t he f ou r a rch an g els, tw o p ai rs d ir ectl y ab ove t he c ha nce l sc re en,
a r e b y Harv e y & Ash b y ( 19 15 ).
W als al l is v er y f ort un ate in t hat t he pa ris h r e gist ers go bac k t o 1 57 0 a nd pr ovi de a c omp let e
r u n to t he pr ese nt d a y. In t he sm al l E li zabe th an t own bu ri al rec or ds i ncl ud e d escr iptiv e
n am es suc h as 15 74 ' Ol d Mot he r W ebb e' a n d 1 57 6 'O ld Mort' s w yf e'. A vis itat io n of t he
p l ag ue in 16 04 res ult ed in t he de at h a nd b u ri al of 'Jo hn Hod gett's s o ne T hom as' ( Ma rc h
1 0t h). Sev en oth ers di ed of p la gu e th at ye a r a nd as a res ult of th is e xpe ri enc e th e t own
a ut ho rit ies ref use d e ntr y t o str an ge rs d ur in g t imes of p la gu e. In 16 65 t he re is a n entr y, 'S o
f ew we re t he bu ri als he re in t hes e mo nths ( 3 1) s o ma n y th ous an ds d ye d of ye Pl ag ue i n
L o nd on'.
T hes e a lso c ont ai n ma n y it ems of int er est. For e xam pl e, th e fu ll det ai ls of t he t en ders f or
t he w or k as we ll as th e a gr eem ent w ith t he a rch itect Fra ncis Go odw in s how t hat t he l ow est
t en de r was acce pte d (t o i ncl ud e B ath st one fac in g r ath er t ha n cem ent ) fo r £ 6,0 96; w or k w as
c arr i ed out 18 19 -2 1.
B as ed on T he Pa ris h Ch urc h of St Matt hew, W als al l: a n i ll ustr ate d g ui de an d h isto ry ( 2 01 1)
b y th e l ate Davi d F. V od de n

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