Description

SO 76 SE
6/83

GREAT WITLEY CP
WITLEY PARK
Church of St Michael

29.07.59

GV
I
Parish church. Consecrated 1735, refaced c1860. Attributed to Gibbs for Thomas, first Lord Foley, refaced by S.W Daukes for Lord Ward, later first Earl of Dudley. Brick core, Bathstone refacing, slate roof. Rectangular in plan with shallow projections to north and south of east end, forming transepts, west porch. Baroque. Moulded plinth, rusticated quoins, listel cornice and balustraded parapet with urn finials to corner and intermediate dice. Keyed semicircular-arched windows with moulded impost string, recessed panels to pilasters, and bracketed sills.

West entrance elevation: two storeys, three bays; central slightly forward break defined by quoins, square bell tower over with open arcaded octagonal cupola, pedimented porch supported on Tuscan columns, ground-floor windows with slightly cambered keyed heads. South lateral elevation: 1:3:1 bays, projecting eastern bay and bay to west defined by quoins, windows to east end bay and central three arched windows with keyed hoodmoulds, bracketed sills and pilasters in arched recesses with keyed hoods continued from label strings, Venetian window to east end.

INTERIOR: with west gallery and central organ housing richly decorated in an Italian manner with gilded rococo style stuccoed ornament arranged in panels to the walls and window reveals, coved ceiling with triangular penetrations above windows of papier maché with similar gilded enrichments, ceiling paintings by Antonio Bellucci; main central painting of the Ascension flanked by the Nativity and the Deposition; a further twenty small medallions also decorate the ceiling; signed stained glass in the windows by Joshua Price of York, with dates 1719-1721 from designs by Francesco Sleter (or Slater). The ceiling paintings and stained glass were acquired by the second Lord Foley from the chapel of the Duke of Chandos at Canons in 1747, the gilded ornament in stucco and papier mach were copied from the originals at Canons. The work at Canons was by the stuccadore Pietro Martire Baquitti.

Wooden pews and pulpit attributed to Daukes, the pulpit incorporates a piece of C18 stair-rail; white marble font by James Forsyth, circular bowl supported by three kneeling figures; organ case in west gallery also acquired from Canons.

Monuments: north transept signed by Rysbrack c1743 commemorates first Lord Foley, white marble base surmounted by grey marble sarcophagus and obelisk with seven figures in classical dress; reclining figure of Lord Foley with woman and child above sarcophagus flanked by allegorical figures and two further figures above on draped support and flanking urn; heraldic ornament towards summit of obelisk; south transept: tablet commemorates Thomas Foley died 1677, black and white marble with two columns and swan-necked pediment over segmental one, central inscription panel.

An earlier church stood a short distance further west of present church. A gate pier at western driveway is reputed to be a surviving section of this building (not included).

Listing NGR: SO7695064978

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530291

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)