Church of the Holy Trinity, Minsterley, Shropshire

Description

SJ 3605-3705
19/79
13.6.58

MINSTERLEY C.P.
MINSTERLEY
Church of The Holy Trinity

GV
II*

Parish church. 1689, by William Taylor of London at the expense of
Thomas, Viscount Weymouth. Red brick with yellow/grey sandstone dressings;
plain tile roof. 6-bay nave and chancel in one, plus one bay to west with
bellcote, and south porch. Chamfered dressed red sandstone plinth,
cill string, battered brick buttresses with rounded stone kneelers, parapet
with stone coping (top 5 courses rebuilt), and parapeted gable ends,
that to east with flag-pole; square wooden bellcote with shingled lower
stage, louvred upper stage with balusters at corners, cap with frieze
and pedimented gable to each face, and weathervane. Large round-arched
diamond-leaded windows: moulded architraves with impost blocks, and keystones,
with carved angel's head ; south doorway in third bay from west has a pair
of C18 doors each with 3 moulded panels, and moulded architrave; porch with
stone-coped parapeted gable, and entrance with lugged architrave over
chamfered-rusticated ground, frieze and segmental pediment. East end:
large diamond leaded round-arched window: Y-tracery, moulded cill,
moulded architrave with impost blocks and projecting dropped keystone with
carved angel's head and moulded top. West front: pair of giant pilasters
(without entasis) with chamfered rustication, moulded bases and egg and
dart enriched capitals supporting large open segmental pediment; centrepiece
consisting of segmental-headed entrance with recessed pair of doors each
with 3 moulded panels, moulded architrave with carved winged angels in lugs
flanking projecting dropped keystone with carved angel, carved frieze
with scrolled ends, and skulls and cross bones with hour glasses and swags,
and moulded cornice; central first-floor diamond-leaded 2-light round-arched
window has moulded cill, flanking panelled pilasters with carved foliage
drops and egg and dart enriched cornice, chamfered rusticated voussoirs
and spandrels, dropped keystone with carved angel's head, and moulded cornice;
clock in tympanum of pediment above has carved spandrels and moulded
architrave with carved paterae in lugs; flanking diamond-leaded windows
on each floor with moulded cills and moulded architraves, with carved
angels heads to first-floor keystones and carved grotesques to ground-foor
keystones. Lead downpipes with rainwater heads on second, fourth and
sixth buttresses from east. Interior: many late C17 fixtures and fittings
remaining; C17 six and a half-bay roof with quasi arch-braced collar
trusses (actually assembled from separately-pegged parts) and pairs of
purlins; west gallery: 3 bays; closed ground floor with pair of 3-panelled
doors; frieze and moulded cornice to balustrade with moulded handrail,
centre bay slightly projecting with pendant finials and square standards
with panelled sides, and pair of wooden Tuscan columns supporting
moulded beam. Fittings include: dado panelling, with carved foliage
decoration in sanctuary; reredos consisting of a pair of large bolection-
moulded panels flanking east window, each having frieze with carved
scroll decoration and segmental pediment; C17 communion table; communion rails
with turned balusters, moulded base and handrail, and pair of central
gates; low chancel screen (possibly cut down) ramped up to gate posts
with carved dragons in spandrels and pair of central gates, each with
2 raised and fielded panels and each ramped up to posts with carved
foliage in spandrels; fine hexagonal wooden pulpit: two square panels
on each face with carved foliage band between and frieze above, bolection-
moulded panelled back. board, and large tester with acanthus-decorated
panelled soffit, entablature with carved foliage and breaking forward
at corners, and ogee cap with globe finial; octagonal painted stone font
with square base, octagonal stem with acanthus decoration, and gadrooned
bowl with uncarved top; organ of 1884; pews of c.1870. There are seven
maidens' garlands at the west end of the church, placed in the church in
the C18 (dated 1736 to 1794); they were made for the funerals of young
girls and placed on their coffins. The interior was altered in 1865 when the
chancel floor was probably raised to its present height (2 steps
up) and the family pew dismantled [parts of which possibly survive
as a screen in Minsterly Hall (qv)] and the present choir stalls made
from old materials. The church was further altered in 1870 when it was
reseated and the pulpit probably moved to its present location and put
on a new base. In 1688 contracts were taken out with Thomas Hudson of
Shrewsbury for masonry and brickwork and with Joseph Meatcham of Shrewsbury
for woodwork and the gallery and pews. The church was consecrated
in 1689. Taylor was working at Longleat in Wiltshire at the time of his
commission. The Thynnes owned Minsterley Hall at this time and might
have been responsible for the choice of architect. Holy Trinity is a
complete example of a church built when local craftsmen were just beginning
to assimilate the new Baroque motifs. B.O.E., pp.201-2; V.C.H., Vol. VIII,
pp.302, 328-30; D. T. Merry, The History of Minsterley, pp.32-5;
D. H. S. Cranage, An Architectural Account of the Churches of Shropshire,
part 6, pp.531-2; Colvin, p.819 ; Longleat account book 176; Kelly's
Directory of Herefordshire and Shropshire (1985), pp.153-4.

Listing NGR: SJ3739705059

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Church of the Holy Trinity

A Grade II* Listed Building in Minsterley, Shropshire

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