St Michael & All Angels, Stanton Long
FOR HELP AND SUPPORT AT THIS TIME. https://www.hereford.anglican.org/ For centuries this building has been at the heart of this friendly community. It is always open and provides a social meeting place in addition to being a peaceful sanctuary for quiet reflection, worship and thanksgiving. Set in the beautiful Corvedale valley, the small 13th century church has an entrance door dating from c.1200 and a weathered belfry with pyramid roof.
The description in this section has been reproduced from the English Heritage Architect's report dated 11th September 2012.
The church of St Michael and All Angels lies on the west side of Stanton Long village in the Corvedale and is surrounded by cultivated farmland and undulating pasture. Serving a tiny settlement that consists of hardly more than a handful of dwellings and farm buildings, it stands within a small wedge-shaped plot that rises from north to south and is contained by the sweep of the village lane to the east. The churchyard boundaries are defined by a mixed species hedgerow and lined by an assortment of coniferous and deciduous trees: the tarmac path that leads down to the church from the gated lane-side entrance at the south end of the plot is flanked by a pair of mature Yew trees which frame the view of the church and the distant landscape beyond. A few ancient headstones and other ivy-covered funerary monuments survive in place on the south side of the church but most have been clear and the ground is now maintained as lawn with more recent internments taking place on the north and west sides. A public right of way with gated entrances crosses the churchyard on the south side of the church.
For more information and membership form, please contact us. Draws take place at our 4 x PCC meetings throughout the year and published in the Wenlock Herald. APPLICATION FORMS AND DETAILS AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH. Annual Harvest Suppers take place in Shipton Village Hall in September (includes 2 course buffet with homemade sweets, bar, raffle and entertainment)
Remembrance Sunday services supporting the Royal British Legion
Many events are held during the year of both a religious and a secular nature, which bring in much-needed revenue to help restore and maintain this lovely church for the enjoyment of everyone.
We would like to invite you to visit our church and in the meantime, thank you for taking an interest and reading this webpage.
Parish amenities include:- Brockton Pre-school for 2-5 year olds based at Brockton Primary School
- For older children the school bus stops in the village and takes them to Much Wenlock
- Brockton and District Womens Institute meet monthly in the village hall
- The Parish Boundaries and history can be found at Vision of Britain through time. (Please note this page is slow to load) More information and references can be found on Wikipedia
Many of you will arrive at this site hoping to research your family history. Parish Records We do not hold any parish records but earlier parish registers, dating from 1546 to around 1976, have been deposited in the Hereford Records Office with transcripts available at Shropshire Archives in Shrewsbury or at Shropshire Family History Society. Enquiries regarding registers since then should be made to the Team Rector at Much Wenlock.
Monumental Inscriptions
We do hold a list of Monumental Inscriptions of many of the gravestones in the churchyard. We also have 2 war memorial plaques inside the church
Exterior
The description in this section has been reproduced from the English Heritage Architect's report dated 11th September 2012.The church consists of a nave with a west end bell-cote and a south porch and a chancel with a north side vestry. Both the nave and chancel are 13th century Early English Gothic and appear to be of one build. The west end of the nave has a battered base of ashlar masonry that returns onto the ends of the north and south walls and a central lesene-like buttress with an offset that finishes below the sill of a tall narrow lancet with checked chamfered reveals.
The south door has a tall pointed chamfered arch with simple imposts and chamfered reveals: the door is single boarded and has decorative scroll-work hinges. All of these elements appear to be original primary fabric as does the blocked south door to the chancel and both lancet windows to the side walls. Other windows are mostly pointed two-light openings with cusped trefoil heads and quatrefoils but these are all replacements of primary fabric or later insertions and/or alterations. Whilst Sir Stephen Glynne reported that the church was stuccoed in 1862, its present appearance dates from 1869 - 71 when it was restored by the Shrewsbury Architect The south door has a tall pointed chamfered arch with simple imposts and chamfered reveals: the door is single boarded and has decorative scroll-work hinges. All of these elements appear to be original primary fabric as does the blocked south door to the chancel and both lancet windows to the side walls. Other windows are mostly pointed two-light openings with cusped trefoil heads and quatrefoils but these are all replacements of primary fabric or later insertions and/or alterations. Whilst Sir Stephen Glynne reported that the church was stuccoed in 1862, its present appearance dates from 1869 - 71 when it was restored by the Shrewsbury Architect Samuel Pountney Smith. He added the north vestry - replacing an earlier structure that contained an aumbry within the west reveal of the north door - and the nave north windows, inserted the chancel arch and rebuilt the east wall and window. He also added the masonry side walls to the timber-framed porch of which only the front posts and gable survives: it appears to be work of the 14th or 15th century. A setback in the wall surface above the porch roof at eaves level, the presence of straight construction joints and the use of coursed red siltstone suggests that a large section of nave south wall around the two light pointed window was also rebuilt at this time.
The timber boarded bell-cote is a 17th century addition and broadly similar in design and date to other church bell-cotes in the Corvedale such as at Hughley and Easthope.He also added the masonry side walls to the timber-framed porch of which only the front posts and gable survives: it appears to be work of the 14th or 15th century. A setback in the wall surface above the porch roof at eaves level, the presence of straight construction joints and the use of coursed red siltstone suggests that a large section of nave south wall around the two light pointed window was also rebuilt at this time.
The timber boarded bell-cote is a 17th century addition and broadly similar in design and date to other church bell-cotes in the Corvedale such as at Hughley and Easthope.Bells
The bells are a ring of three, with a tenor of 2 cwt. 2 qtr. 8 lb.They are untuned, being just as they emerged from the moulds, and do not conform to a normal scale, having the notes G, A flat and B. They were all cast at the Birmingham foundry of James Barwell in 1893, the inscriptions indicating that they were recast from older bells, although no record of the earlier ones is to hand. All retain their ‘Doncaster’ style canons (the loops by which the bells are usually suspended), although they are actually attached to their headstocks by means of bolts passing through the crowns of the bells. Similarly, all the bells have independent crown staples, such that the clappers are attached by means of a bolt which passes up through the centre of the bell and headstock. Generally, the bells show little evidence of wear from indentation due to clapper impact (typically about 1 mm).
The oak bell frame carries the bells on one level and may have been built to accommodate newly-recast bells in 1893. It is secured to the main E-W beams beneath the belfry floor. Only the treble bell is in a condition such that it could be rung, The frame is of reasonable design and possibly with some additional bracing should be capable of carrying bells hung for full-circle ringing.Our thanks to Roy K. Williams, Bells Advisor to the Hereford Diocesan Advisory Committee, for this information in a report dated 10 March 2012.
Interior
The description in this section has been reproduced from the English Heritage Architect's report dated 11th September 2012.The interior of the church was also comprehensively re-ordered in the 17th century and whilst the walls were stripped and ribbon pointed, many original features survive albeit altered to some extent. The nave has an arch-braced truss roof configured in four bays with two tiers of purlins and cusped wind braces forming pairs of quatrefoils between them. The Chancel roof is almost identical but configured as three bays: both structures have common rafters over-boarded with white painted fibreboard. All of the trusses had carved bosses but most have been obliterated by the insertion of a later ceiling which was subsequently removed. Both roofs appear to be mostly primary fabric of the 14th century and replaced earlier structures. The chancel floor has a quarry tile surface that predates the restoration and incorporates several grave slabs from the late 16th and early 17th century: the raised sanctuary has encaustic tiles with assorted decorative motifs laid in geometric patterns. The nave floor has been re-laid with modern brindle-coloured quarry tiles.
A 14th century tomb recess that practically doubles as a sedile survives on the south side of the chancel: it has a depressed two-centred arch with a roll-and-wave moulding that continues down the jambs and a hood mould with foliated stops. There are also two trefoil-headed niches on opposite sides at the east end of the chancel: the larger south side one has a roll moulded edge and probably contained a piscine before it was partly in-filled and topped by a stone shelf. Another smaller trefoil-headed niche similar to the one on the north side of the chancel is located on the south wall of the nave close to the east end. Aside from these features, most other fixtures are 19th century or later. The stone reredos was added in 1887 and fills most of the east wall below window sill level. It has a centre panel of three gabled niches which are framed by octagonal shafts with angels and flanked by twin blind panels with cusped trefoil heads supported by engaged shafts. Each gabled niche contains a single figure with Christ the Good Shepherd placed centrally and St Peter and St Michael to either side: the reredos was designed by F R Kempson and the figures carved by Robert Clarke of Hereford. There is some good 19th century stain glass in the chancel and several assorted funerary memorials, including one impressive tablet of copper repousse work by Maile & son from London.
The stone font has a plain bowl on an octagonal base and is recorded as being installed as part of an earlier restoration scheme carried out in 1842. The brass eagle lectern was donated in 1915.The church is largely constructed in red and buff coloured un-coursed sandstone rubble with the same dressed stone used for door and window surrounds: later repairs and additions have been formed in coursed and squared siltstone rubble. Roofs are all covered with plain clay tiles and the bell-cote clad with lapped oak boards: rainwater goods are all cast iron. Aside from the stain glass to the chancel most windows have leaded lights of clear rectangular quarries surrounded by a narrow border of coloured glass.
There are also two trefoil-headed niches on opposite sides at the east end of the chancel: the larger south side one has a roll moulded edge and probably contained a piscine before it was partly in-filled and topped by a stone shelf. Another smaller trefoil-headed niche similar to the one on the north side of the chancel is located on the south wall of the nave close to the east end. Aside from these features, most other fixtures are 19th century or later. The stone reredos was added in 1887 and fills most of the east wall below window sill level. It has a centre panel of three gabled niches which are framed by octagonal shafts with angels and flanked by twin blind panels with cusped trefoil heads supported by engaged shafts. Each gabled niche contains a single figure with Christ the Good Shepherd placed centrally and St Peter and St Michael to either side: the reredos was designed by F R Kempson and the figures carved by Robert Clarke of Hereford. There is some good 19th century stain glass in the chancel and several assorted funerary memorials, including one impressive tablet of copper repousse work by Maile & son from London.The stone font has a plain bowl on an octagonal base and is recorded as being installed as part of an earlier restoration scheme carried out in 1842. The brass eagle lectern was donated in 1915.
The church is largely constructed in red and buff coloured un-coursed sandstone rubble with the same dressed stone used for door and window surrounds: later repairs and additions have been formed in coursed and squared siltstone rubble. Roofs are all covered with plain clay tiles and the bell-cote clad with lapped oak boards: rainwater goods are all cast iron. Aside from the stain glass to the chancel most windows have leaded lights of clear rectangular quarries surrounded by a narrow border of coloured glass.
There are also two trefoil-headed niches on opposite sides at the east end of the chancel: the larger south side one has a roll moulded edge and probably contained a piscine before it was partly in-filled and topped by a stone shelf. Another smaller trefoil-headed niche similar to the one on the north side of the chancel is located on the south wall of the nave close to the east end. Aside from these features, most other fixtures are 19th century or later. The stone reredos was added in 1887 and fills most of the east wall below window sill level. It has a centre panel of three gabled niches which are framed by octagonal shafts with angels and flanked by twin blind panels with cusped trefoil heads supported by engaged shafts. Each gabled niche contains a single figure with Christ the Good Shepherd placed centrally and St Peter and St Michael to either side: the reredos was designed by F R Kempson and the figures carved by Robert Clarke of Hereford. There is some good 19th century stain glass in the chancel and several assorted funerary memorials, including one impressive tablet of copper repousse work by Maile & son from London.The stone font has a plain bowl on an octagonal base and is recorded as being installed as part of an earlier restoration scheme carried out in 1842. The brass eagle lectern was donated in 1915.
The church is largely constructed in red and buff coloured un-coursed sandstone rubble with the same dressed stone used for door and window surrounds: later repairs and additions have been formed in coursed and squared siltstone rubble. Roofs are all covered with plain clay tiles and the bell-cote clad with lapped oak boards: rainwater goods are all cast iron. Aside from the stain glass to the chancel most windows have leaded lights of clear rectangular quarries surrounded by a narrow border of coloured glass.
History
This is the second church building to have served our community. The first, in Domesday times, was at Patton, three miles away and the centre of the Saxon Hundred of that name. By the thirteenth century the population had moved southwards to the present site of the village and a new church was built.The main entrance door is an important feature, dating from c. 1200 it has attractive iron scrollwork, a closing ring and hooks for a noticeboard. The doorway is plain, late Norman, the pointed arch indicating that it is Transitional. The entrance porch has good ancient timberwork but the walls are Victorian.
The church building itself is simple, just a nave and chancel, both heavily restored in Victorian times and a vestry. A special feature in the chancel is an Early Decorated tomb recess. It dates from the thirteenth or early fourteenth century and has a depressed two-centred arch joining the uprights in a continuous roll moulding. The sill is of a more recent date but a stone from the original may be seen in the splay of the window by the lectern.
This small window - called a low-side window because it is the lowest in the church - would originally have been provided with a grille and shutters. At one time low-side windows were believed to have been leper windows through which lepers could follow the service and receive communion. It is now thought that their purpose was to provide ventilation for the chancel when accumulated smoke from candles and incense became overpowering.
Also in the south side of the chancel is a blocked priest's door with the doorstep still in-situ. On the opposite wall is the vestry built in 1871. It is likely that the vestry doorway was originally an external north entrance. This would explain the small niche behind the door which was discovered during the 1869-70 restoration and is in the usual position of a holy water stoup. North doorways were common in churches of the period though they were usually in the nave. Alternatively the niche could have been an aumbry and this would account for the rebated stone surround.
There were two restoration schemes in the nineteenth century - 1842 and 1869-70. The church was closed for a year during the second scheme and this is when the present chancel arch was inserted. The east wall and window were rebuilt at the same time.
The stained glass was given by the sons of Evan and Ann Davies of Patton, in memory of their parents and sister. The window on the left depicts St Paul while the window above the altar shows the crucifiction and the Sermon on the Mount. The window above the tomb recess depicts the baptism of Christ and Christ carrying the cross. This work was carried out by the firm of Done and Davies of Shrewsbury.
The reredos behind the altar was carved by Robert Clarke of Hereford and donated by the Cock family in 1888. The communion rails and the chancel floor tiles also date from this time.
The brass lectern was given to the church in 1915 in memory of the Bishop family of Oxenbold. The design of the eagle and the ball was a popular one at the time. It symbolises the scriptures being carried around the world.
The niche in the wall of the nave near the lectern marks the site of an earlier altar and it seems probable that the window above it was inserted to light it. Further proof of the existence of this altar is provided by the stone cross, positioned externally on the apex of the roof above the chancel arch. Subsidiary altars were common in the Middle Ages. They stood in front of the Rood Screen, many of which were destroyed during the intolerant period between the Reformation and the Restoration 1540 - 1660.
The roof is also a notable feature of the church. It dates from the later Middle Ages and has wind braces forming quatrefoils. The collar beams in the chancel have small carved bosses in the centre of the arches.
The large framed print on the west wall of the nave is of the Mappa Mundi which is housed at Hereford Cathedral. The font has a plain bowl and an octagonal stem thought to date from the restoration of 1842.
The weather boarded belfry has a pyramid roof and contains three bells which were recast in 1893 and a clock given by the Wadlow family in 1927.
The earlier parish registers, dating from 1546 to around 1976, have been deposited in the Hereford Records Office with transcripts available at Shropshire Archives in Shrewsbury. Enquiries regarding registers since then should be made to the Team Rector at Much Wenlock.
Bell-Cote
Whilst the tiled roof covering to the bell-cote appears to be in reasonable order, the timbers at the crown of the roof are reported to be rotten. The tie beams directly below the crown post are also reported to be similarly defective: the damage is attributed to water ingress over a prolonged period which suggests the crown cover flashing has previously failed or is still defective. The south side purlin which supports one side of the bell-cote has also failed because it became rotten and whilst emergency holding repairs have been carried out, the causes of the problem needs to be eliminated. Repairs to ensure the integrity of the bell-cote structure need to be carried out together with re-roofing and improvements to the cladding and abutment flashings to ensure that all parts of the bell-cote are weatherproof.
Bells
The bells are not safe to be rung, due to excessive rot in the headstocks, which need replacing, along with the bearings.
The remaining fittings need refurbishment or possible replacement. Once this has been carried out the bells should be fit to be rung for services and other occasions for many years without further major work.
Vestry
The copings to the vestry walls have started to slide downward and the perpend joints to the kneeler stones to the north east corner have cracked with the adjacent masonry beginning to start to rotate.
The filled joint at the abutment to the chancel wall suggests this may be a long standing issue and whilst the former has not reopened, the east end of the suspended timber floor inside the vestry is mobile suggesting that the underlying supporting structure is rotten. The most likely cause is defective drains and these together with the above masonry elements and floor structure need to be remedied at the earliest opportunity.
Porch
The porch roof is now effectively carried by the masonry side walls and as the wall plates at the south end are connected by a metal tie bar, the timber framed gable and corner posts have little structural function. Its appearance however is of significance and as these timber components represent the last elements of primary fabric, they should be repaired to ensure as much is retained as possible.appearance however is of significance and as these timber components represent the last elements of primary fabric, they should be repaired to ensure as much is retained as possible.
At least two of the chancel windows require re-leading as significant distortion has already taken place and loss of fabric is inevitable if remedial measures are not put in place. This work may also entail assorted repairs to the surrounding masonry. Minor repairs to the other leaded lights should also be undertaken as part of a single cost effective project. Minor repairs to the other leaded lights should also be undertaken as part of a single cost effective project. Repairs to the other leaded lights should also be undertaken as part of a single cost effective project.
Links to other websites
Wenlock Team of Parishes:
http://www.online.church123.com/wenlockteamministry/welcome.htm
Hereford Diocese:
http://www.hereford.anglican.org and http://www.herefordcathedral.org
Hereford Records Office: https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/archives/Shropshire Archives: http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/archives.nsf
Shropshire Family History Society http://www.sfhs.org.uk/
Parish Council:
https://shropshire.gov.uk/committee-services/mgParishCouncilDetails.aspx?ID=531&LS=3
Shropshire Historic Churches Trust:
http://www.shropshirehct.org.uk
Shropshire Churches Tourism Group:
http://www.discovershropshirechurches.co.uk/south-east-shropshire/stanton-long/
A Church Near You: (lists every church in the Church of England with accurate maps, contact information, service times and much more)
http://www.achurchnearyou.com/stanton-long-st-michael-all-angels/
WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanton_LongSAFEGUARDINGStanton Long Safe Guarding Officer - Mrs S Grant - 01746 712667
Hereford Diocese Safe Guarding Adviser - Mandy McPhee - 01746785168 07875 757396
Much Wenlock Team Incumbent - The Rev Matthew Stafford - 01952 727396