Extract from C.J.G. Hudson's booklet about Acocks
Green, 1966
(It is hoped that we will be able to add an update from 1966 in the near
future).
THE PARISH CHURCH
In 1864 a Mr. J.C. Dixon organised a number of meetings of local
Church of England people to discuss the possibility of having
a church of their own in Acocks Green. There were by then over
a thousand inhabitants, and their parish church at Yardley was
two and a half miles away.
A site was offered by the Yardley Charity Trustees, and Mr.
John Field Swinburn (who lived in Sherbourne Road, and later at
Stone Hall, now part of Acocks Green School) provided an endowment
of £1,000. The Church authorities gave their blessing to
the project, and it was decided to go ahead.
A Birmingham Architect, J.G. Bland, of Temple Street, was asked
to prepare plans. The original design was for a church on the
Basilican plan, consisting of a wide nave with narrower aisles,
separated from it by columns; transepts projecting only slightly
beyond the aisles; an apsidal-ended sanctuary, and a vestry and
chapel. Also included was a tower and belfry with a broach-spire
at the Southwest corner.
It was decided to erect the building by stages as money became
available, and the foundation: stone of the nave was laid on the
13th October, 1864, by Mrs Swinburn. In 1866 the nave and aisles
as far as the beginning of the transepts were completed, and at
11 am on Wednesday October 17th they were consecrated by Dr. Philpott,
Bishop of Worcester and morning service followed. In 1867 an Order
in Council dated 26th October assigned to the Church a district
called "The District Chapelry of St. Mary the Virgin, Acocks
Green", which extended to about 660 acres.
Eleven years later the congregation had so increased that further
accommodation was needed; and money being available or promised,
the nave was extended to include the two transept arches and the
chancel arch, although work on the chancel itself was not begun.
The extension was dedicated in 1882, again by the Bishop of Worcester.
The next addition to the Church was in 1891, when Mrs J.F.
Swinburn gave money for a clergy vestry and an organ chamber.
These were designed by J.A. Chatwin & Son of Birmingham. Unfortunately,
Mrs Swinburn died before the work was completed in 1892.
The building of the chancel commenced two years later, again
to new designs by J.A. Chatwin & Son, who arranged for a square
ended chancel instead of the semi-octagonal sanctuary of the original
design. When this was completed the appearance of the church from
the outside was much as it is today. The North and South transepts,
and the tower and spire are still wanting to fulfil the original
plan.
When you enter the church, stand under the west window and
look down the nave towards the altar. You will notice that the
end columns nearest the chancel are wider than the others, and
have flattened sides. Imagine a wall right across the church at
this point. That was the extent of the first stage. The two larger
nave arches beyond were intended to open on the transepts. These
have never been completed and the temporary walls with their lancet
windows still remain.
If you can imagine the chancel arch bricked in, it will give
you some idea of the church in its second stage. The altar would
have been just in front of the present chancel steps with the
choir seated facing the two transept arches.
Although the extent of the church now is the same as it was
some seventy years ago when the chancel had been completed, it
differs considerably in appearance. On the 10th December 1940
the building was badly damaged by a bomb which exploded to the
South of the chancel entrance. The roof was blown off, and the
windows were blown out, the floor and furnishings badly damaged.
For nine years services were conducted in the North aisle which
was temporarily repaired and partitioned off. The church did not
come into full use again until the 8th October 1949, when the
renovated building was hallowed by Dr. E.W. Barnes, Bishop of
Birmingham.
The force of the bomb explosion is shown by the damage to the
pillar nearest the chancel in the South aisle. The pillar opposite
(across the nave) is also pitted with fragments. Luckily the reredos
and the altar escaped damage, but most of the rest of the interior
fittings and furnishing were destroyed; the beautiful East window
designed by Sir Edward Burne-Jones and made in William Morris's
workshops at Merton Abbey was badly damaged; and our thanks must
go to the late Vicar - the Rev. P.J. Kelly who carefully gathered
up all the fragments so that it could be replaced.
The general appearance of the church has improved in one respect
- it is now very much lighter inside. The old stained glass windows
had cut off much of the daylight. Also, when the church was rebuilt,
the clerestory windows (originally small cinquefoils), were replaced
by large, double lancets, and the additional light obtained accentuates
the height of the nave and the chancel arch.
THE SANCTUARY
THE EAST WINDOW was erected in 1895 in memory of the first vicar-
the Rev. F.T. Swinburn, by his wife and son. The central figures
are our Lord on the Cross (which has blossomed into the tree of
life) - St. John and the Virgin Mary. Above the crown of thorns
is the inscription I.N.R.I. - Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum. Beneath
the cross is the inscription in Latin "So God loved the world".
The two Angels of the Resurrection are also represented bearing
scrolls with Latin inscriptions, one being St. John III. 14, "As
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the
Son of Man be lifted up"; and the other from the First Epistle
of St. John III. 14, "Herein perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down His life for us". The lowest part of
the window shows the four creatures described in Ezekiel, which
may represent the four evangelists.
THE REREDOS was installed in June 1903, the north wing given
by the Rev. J.A. Balleine and Mrs. Balleine, and the south wing
by Dr. and Mrs. Cordley-Bradford. The central figure is that of
our Lord, with one hand uplifted in blessing, and the other holding
the book of life. On either side are the archangels - Michael
and Gabriel on the left, and Raphael and Uriel on the right. St.
Michael is shown striking the dragon; St. Gabriel - the angel
of the Annunciation - holds the lily of purity; St. Raphael, who
is the patron saint of travellers and of medicine, is dressed
as a pilgrim and holds a fish in one hand; St. Uriel, whose name
signifies the light of God, bears his emblem, the sun, in his
hands.
THE ALTAR-PIECE which with the reredos is the work of Bridgman
of Lichfield, was erected in 1898 by Mrs. F.T. Swinburn and her
son, in memory of her parents. It contains on either side an angel
bearing a shield on which are the symbols of the passion, while
the figures of the four evangelists stand on top of the columns.
THE ALTAR is of Oak, carved with vine branches and ears of
corn, with intervening arches. The panels are in memory of Cecil
Michael Kelly, son of the late vicar.
THE CHANCEL
The Chancel is furnished with stalls for the clergy and choir.
These, with the screens and altar rails were given in memory of
Dr. Cordley-Bradford, who was churchwarden for twenty-four years.
The carvings on the capitals of the arches opening into the vestry
and the organ chamber are again by Bridgman of Lichfield. They
represent angels bearing scrolls of music, instruments, and the
crown of martyrdom of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music.
The organ, built by Nicholson of Worcester and dedicated in 1893
by the Bishop of Coventry, replaced a much smaller instrument
by Banfield of Birmingham, which was installed when the church
was first built. It was originally on the opposite side of the
chancel. It was badly damaged during the war, and when the church
was rebuilt, owing to lack of money it was only partially restored.
However, in 1963, through the generosity of a member of the church
who gave £1,000 towards the costs, the instrument was overhauled
and the Great Organ added in memory of the Rev. P. J. Kelly.
THE NAVE
The nave is separated from the aisles by five bays on either side,
the walls supported by stone pillars and arches. The walls themselves
are of red brick with a blue-brick pattern, but this is now hidden
by paint.
The original pulpit of Caen stone stood on the opposite side
of the chancel arch. It was circular and elaborately carved, supported
on a stone pillar surrounded by free-standing marble columns.
It was entered by stone steps from the chancel. There was no sounding
board. The present pulpit of oak (given in memory of Alderman
Bailey Cox by his widow) is built into the respond of the south
transept arch.
The brass eagle lectern destroyed during the war is replaced
by a wooden one which now stands by the pillar of the north transept
arch.
The west window, also destroyed during the war, showed our
Lord in the Temple receiving instruction from the Doctors, also
the Centurian who built the synagogue. Six tablets can be seen
beneath the clerestory windows on the south side. On them are
the names of six of the first officers of the church. Dr. Swinburn
had stained glass inserted in the original cinquefoil windows
above the plates to commemorate their work. Unfortunately these
are illegible from the ground.
The font previously stood near the south door. A circular bow,
supported by a central pillar and four outer shafts, it was the
gift of Mrs. Henry Jutson. The font cover was given in memory
of Hannah Mary Walker.
The south aisle, now used as a chapel, had a door in the east
wall leading to the choir vestry. In rebuilding this was blocked
up and the space behind, originally intended for a memorial chapel,
was used to house the organ pipes. In the centre of the aisle
wall is the memorial to those who were killed in the two world
wars.
The north aisle contains a memorial window to the Rev. P. J.
Kelly, vicar of St. Mary's from 1931 to 1953. Remains of the original
stained glass windows can be seen in the roundels and one of the
trefoils in the tracery.
THE NORTH PORCH has over the entrance a bas-relief of
the Patron Saint, representing the Annunciation. The sides of
the porch once had open arcades, but these were afterwards filled
in to shut out the wind and rain.
MEMORIALS
There are very few memorial tablets in the Church. Most of the
memorials consist of gifts of furnishings and fittings, many of
which have been mentioned above. Besides those are the following:
Under the west window is an alabaster tablet to the memory
of John Field Swinburn, one of the men to whose initiative the
parish owes its existence.
There are bronze plaques to Ernest L. Hirsch and to Fanny Eliza
Adams (on each side of the north porch), and to John Collingwood
Onions (by the south door).
The altar Crucifix and candlesticks were given in memory of
Sydney and Eric Rolston Jones.
An image of Our Lady was given in memory of Frank and Kathleen
Williams.
The aumbry in the South Aisle is in memory of Florence Elizabeth
Burton.
The sedilia and piscina on the north wall of the sanctuary
are in memory of the second vicar and his wife. The sedilia and
credence on the south wall are in memory of Margaret Lunn, and
of the wife of the first vicar.
The retable is a memorial to William George Postans and his
wife Susanna, father and mother of Mrs. J.F. Swinburn.
The vestry door and screen are in memory of William Samuel
West.
The sanctuary candlesticks were given in memory of Dorothy
Perkins.
There is a brass plate in the chancel by the vestry opening,
which records that on Sunday, September 10th 1939, a detachment
of officers and other ranks of the 143rd and 145th Field Ambulance
Brigade, Royal Medical Corps (T.A.) left a signed portrait of
King George VI at St. Mary's for safe custody for the duration
of the war. Unfortunately, it was destroyed when the church was
bombed a year later.
THE CHURCH PLATE
St. Mary's is fortunate in having two very fine Chalices and Patens.
The first, presented in 1890, is a reproduction of the well-known
pre-Reformation Chalice of Bacton in Herefordshire. Of silver-gilt,
it stands about 6ins. high. The bowl is nearly hemispherical,
and is supported on a hexagonal stem, divided into two portions
by the knop, which is formed by the projection from the angles
of the stem of six short square arms, each terminating in a lion's
mask, and having the intervening spaces filled up with Gothic
tracery. The lower part of the stem rests on a curved hexagonal
foot, united to it by Gothic mouldings, and the foot terminates
in an upright basement moulding. At each angle of the foot is
a small projecting ornament resembling an ornamental 'M' intended
to indicate the name of the Virgin Mary. One of the six compartments
of the foot is ornamented, as is usual in ancient Chalices, by
a representation of the Crucifixion. The name of the donor of
the Bacton Chalice is engraved on two of the compartments.
The Paten is 5ins. in diameter, with a narrow moulded edge,
and a rim like an ordinary plate, within which is sunk a six-lobed
depression corresponding to the hexagonal form of the foot of
the Chalice. The face of the Saviour surrounded by a nimbus is
engraved in the middle of thc depression.
These were presented to the church by Mrs. F.T. Swinburn.
The second Chalice and Paten were given by Mrs. Wheelock in
1906, in memory of her mother - Elizabeth Whielden. The Chalice
of silver-gilt is 8 and a half inches high with a bowl 5 and one
eighth ins. in diameter, and is in the style of the 12th century.
It has a large circular base with pierced outer border and six
sunk panels, surrounded by a broad band of filigree leaves and
scrolls, enriched by 48 jewels set in gold. The knop is formed
of a ba11 of rock crystal supported by a massive stem, and mounted
by crossbands set with 36 jewels, filigree and four enamelled
studs, representing the crown of thorns, the dove, the pelican,
and the Agnus Dei. The stem above this knop leads to the plain
bowl, with a richly jewelled outer-cup. The six panels on the
base bear, in silver low-relief, the Virgin and Child, the Last
Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and
Christ in Glory, enamelled alternately in red, blue and green.
The 108 jewels include sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls, almardines,
jacinths and amethysts. The whole, though rich in detail, is very
well designed and is the work of Barkentin and Krall of Regent
Street.
The Paten is sunk in the centre, with the head of Christ engraved,
and leaves between the eight divisions of the depression.
The church also posesses two more silver chalices. One given
in memory of Emily Stroud and the other the gift of Mr. and Mrs.
A.V. Spilsbury. There are also a ciborium and two wafer boxes,
one given in memory of Norman D. Higgs. An alms dish was presented
in 1882 by Miss Hodgkins of Malvern House, and the collection
plates were given by the first vicar. These had belonged to his
family for over a hundred years.
THE CHURCHYARD
Among the many memorials in the Churchyard are three to former
vicars - the Rev. F.T. Swinburn (the first vicar); the Rev. Llewellyn
T. Dodd (the third) and the Rev. G.H. Harris (the sixth). There
is also the grave of the Rev. Tilney Rising, who came as a locum
in December 1910, and stayed on as curate until his sudden death
in August 1912.
Another notable memorial is that to Shirley Fielding Palmer,
F.R.C.S., who died on 12th October 1901. He was the founder (in
1852) of the Guild of St. Albans, the first religious guild founded
in England after the Reformation.
One of the oldest tombstones stands right at the back of the
church, facing the east window. The fading inscription records
that it was erected "In affectionate remembrance of Mary
Ann Wilhelm, an African, who died January 21st, 1868 aged 21 years".
THE VICARAGE
In 1868 a site for the vicarage was conveyed by the Yardley Charity
Trustees to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and building commenced
the following year. The vicar took possession after his marriage
in February 1871. His coat of arms can still be seen above the
porch.
C.J.G. Hudson.
LIST OF INCUMBENTS
1867-1890 Frederick Thomas Swinburn, D.D.
1890-1907 James Alexander Balleine, M.A.
1907-1913 Llewellyn Theodore Dodd, M.A.
1913-1919 Percy Edward Lord, M.A.
1919-1925 Reginald William Dawson Stephenson, M.A.
1925-1931 George Herbert Harris, M.A.
1931-1953 Philip James Kelly, M.A.
1953- Charles Herbert Iball, B.A.
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