All Saints Church, Wellington
History
All Saints Church has undergone three separate rebuilds during its existence. The present building is the third incarnation of the church to occupy the same site as the previous two incarnations over the past thousand years. The original church building existed until the outbreak of the English Civil War and was subsequently destroyed by both Oliver Cromwell and Charles II's men. It was not until 1740 and 1748, a new church was considered for the site of the then-destroyed church. The current church was built around 1790 and was once served by Edward Pryce Owen in 1802, who became the bishop of the church for a time from 1823 until 1841. The church underwent slight refurbishments and extensions in 1898. The church was given Grade II* listed status by Historic England in April 1983. In 2017, the church was one of many parish churches across the United Kingdom to take part in the BBC Music Day UK by ringing the bells.
Architecture
The church was designed by George Steuart in Neoclassical style. It is built in Grinshill sandstone, and consists of a nave with an apse, and a tower behind the west front. The west front has three bays with giant Tuscan pilasters carrying a pediment. In the centre is a doorway flanked by windows, all with square heads, and above are lunettes. The tower has two stages with paired Ionic pilasters, clock faces, and a small dome. Along the sides of the church are two tiers of windows, the upper windows round-headed, and in the apse is a tripartite pilastered window. Inside the church are galleries on three sides.
Lychgate
The gate piers flank the southwest entrance to the churchyard, from Church Street, and were built in the late 18th or early 19th century. They are in stone, and have a panelled frieze, a moulded cornice, and a hemispherical cap. Steps flanked by coped stone walls lead up to a memorial lychgate that was added in 1922. The lychgate has stone walls, a timber superstructure with round arches, a timber framed gable with a cross finial, and a tiled roof. On the arches are inscriptions, and on the inside walls are bronze plaques with inscriptions and the names of those lost in the two World Wars. The "Gate Piers, Steps, Walls and War Memorial Lychgate" are grade II listed as one entity.
Notable graves
- William Forester (December 1655 - February 1718), Whig politician of the House of Commons
- William Forester (1690 - November 1758), landowner and Whig politician of House of Commons
- Brooke Forester (February 1717 - July 1774), longest serving Member of Parliament for (Much) Wenlock (UK Parliament constituency)
See also
References
- ^ "All Saints Wellington". All Saints Wellington. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ Lichfield, Diocese of. "Find a Church". www.lichfield.anglican.org. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Students to perform concert in aid of church organ restoration fund". www.shropshirestar.com. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "All Saints Parish Centre | Live Well Telford". livewell.telford.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ Historic England. "Church of All Saints (103317)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Find us". All Saints Wellington. 22 May 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Giant Places - All Saints Parish Church". Wellingtons Walking With Giants. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Architecture". All Saints Wellington. 28 June 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "History". All Saints Wellington. 28 July 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Wellington: Churches | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "General Building News: Proposed Restoration of Parish Church Wellington". The Builder. 74: 400. 23 April 1898. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "BBC Music - BBC Music Day - Bell ringers unite for BBC Music Day". BBC. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ Newman, John; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), Shropshire, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, p. 653, ISBN 0-300-12083-4
- ^ "What to expect at Church". All Saints Wellington. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Wellington Lychgate". www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Community: Wellington Shropshire - All Saints Lychgate War Memorial | Lives of the First World War". livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ Johnstone, Janet (30 May 2018). Shropshire at War, 1939–45. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-5898-5.
- ^ Historic England. "Gate Piers, Steps, Walls and War Memorial Lychgate (1033318)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "William Forester (1655-1718) - Find a Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "William Forester (1690-1758) - Find a Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Brooke Forester (1717-1771) - Find a Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 14 January 2025.