Church of All Saints

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the junction of the main Shrewsbury to Welshpool road and the B4388, the Leighton Road, near the crossing of the River Severn.

History

Parish Church, C14-15, on an earlier site, with porch of 1686 and some restorations in 1838 and 1876.

Exterior

Pebbledashed dolerite rubble with Grinshill or Ruabon sandstone dressings, slate roof with decorative red tile ridge. Nave and chancel in one cell, with timber SE porch, and weatherboarded bellcote over W end of Nave, with a pyramidal roof and containing bell of 1662, by Thomas Clibury II, with names of churchwardens. On N side, a lean-to vestry, added 1876, and heating chamber. Porch, inscribed on tie beam TG:W:1686. Heavy curved brackets carrying gable and tie beam with dropped centre feature. Single tier of purlins. Shaped pierced splat balusters to open sides.

Churchyard retains some good, later C19, chest tombs.

Interior

Nave of 5 roof bays, with a further 1+ bays at west end supporting the bell tower, and divided from chancel by a rood tie-beam with raking cusped queen struts from the chancel of 3 roof bays. Good C15 roof of arched braced collar trusses springing from moulded wall plates carrying 3 tiers of purlins, each with cusped windbraces. SE door C15, of 2 orders, sandstone, opening in first roof bay, the jambs heavily marked by the sharpening of knives. 2 light W window, and two short 2-light windows either side of 1876 replicating the cusped tracery of the original 2-light windows in the chancel, which has an E window of 3 lights. Chancel raised 1 step and paved with encaustic tiles. Panelled E wall in C17 style by Rev. T.W.Jones of Trewern, vicar in 1876, a pilastered oak reredos, raised at centre and vigorously carved and with a brass stepped cross applied in the centre arch.

Fittings: C19 gothic, carved softwood, pulpit. Font, deeply carved stiff leaf capital, c.1220, said to be from central column of the chapter house of Strata Marcella Abbey. Moulded timber sanctuary rail. Organ S side, organ by Conocher & Co. of Springwood, Huddersfield. Pine pews of 1876.
Glass: In W window, good but mixed C15 and C16 glass, including a Christ with Crown of Thorns, saints'' heads, canopy work, flowered quarries, and a 16-quartered shield of Sutton family, C17, all reset within a modern border. E window of 1874, gift of William Fisher, with central Crucifixion panel within architectural frame.
Monuments: On N wall, 5 tablets, two by I Nelson of Shrewsbury, including one of white marble on grey slate to Francis Allen of Maes Fron, solicitor, died 1852.On S wall, gabled white marble tablet with acroteria, to Thomas Worthington of Buttington Hall, 1831, with wife Sarah added 1842.

Reason for designation

Listed Grade I as a medieval parish church with important surviving detail.