Notes
on the Church
The
original twelfth century church was a late Norman building consisting probably
of nave, transept and chancel, with a low tower over the crossing. Only the
barest fragments remain today, the scalloped capital ant shaft to the left of
the entrance door forming part of the original nave arcade, and a very small
fragment on the opposite (south) side into which in the fifteenth century the
Perpendicular doorway leading to the cloister was inserted.
The
rest of the nave has entirely disappeared, though from the style of the now
existing building, it is evident that the twelfth century Church had been
rebuilt in the last quarter of the fourteenth century. It was intended then to
rebuild the nave, proof of which is to be found in the completeness of the west
arch of the Tower, moulded, as it is both inside and outside. Apparently this
work was never carried out, but as a result of recent excavation in the
nineteen-sixties, it is interesting to see how far west the original building
actually extended. The actual west end of the Church was more or less in a line
with the present front door of the Court,
the Tower being almost equidistant between it and the extreme east end.
Excavation has also revealed the foundations of the cloister, which ran
to the southwest corner of the Monastic building and terminated in the original
entrance to the Prior's Hall.
Apart
from having thoroughly restored, or as he said
‘builded’ this Church, Bishop Alcock (whose coat-of-arms – a mitre
and cocks’ heads – can be seen in the tracery of the east window) appears to
have inserted the arches to the east of the transept arches, between the present
‘nave’ and the now ruined lateral Chapels.
He also strengthened the tall windows on either side of the sanctuary by
inserting the Perpendicular transoms halfway down. (Notice the beautiful
rectilinear tracery in the head of each window.) He built the east window and
filled it with stained glass, said to have been made by the same craftsmen as
those who made the glass at Great Malvern, and ranking next to York Minster in
its excellence. He also probably made the two, now walled up, doorways on either
side of the Altar for a processional way. Beyond this may have been the Lady
Chapel, although in a building of this size, there is more likely to have been a
Vestry.
It would be tempting
to assign to Bishop Alcock the building of the top stage of the tower with its
fine panelling, but it is believed to be work of a period earlier than his
restoration. It seems that after the Dissolution the tower was to have been
demolished, and that a start had actually been made by removing the pinnacles
and parapets, the bases of which are still in situ, but that the work was
stopped. The present roof was put up later to repair the damage already done to
the tower. The wall plates and principals of the original roof, at a much lower
pitch, still remain under the present roof.
As
to the interior of the Church, one cannot now state where the fourteenth century
screen, that which today divides the 'nave' from the chancel, originally stood.
The richly carved rood-beam (notice the trailing vine pattern on its
western side), which now rests on the screen, was originally higher up.
The
hatchments on the walls are the coats-of-arms of the different families at the
Court; those on each side of the organ are of the Russells, while those on the
left hand side of the Chancel belong to the Beringtons.
The window, now in the North Chapel arch, was originally the East Window
of this Chapel. On the fourteenth century tracery is a fragment of contemporary
glass that is thought to represent God the Father in a group depicting the
'Coronation of the Virgin'. On the ledge opposite this window are the two sides
a table-tomb, on which are four charming figures of 'weepers'. It is of late
fourteenth century work, and may have been the tomb, which Thomas Habington saw
in the North transept arch, and on which be thought were the arms of Bridges.
There were formerly live bells in the tower of which only one remains
today- Recent research suggests that this bell, just over 26 inches in diameter
and weighing about 4 l\8 cwts, is probably a genuine example of the work of John
of Gloucester and dates from about 1350. It is inscribed in gothic capitals
without any break between the words and with two letters upside down -"Ave
Maria Gracia Plena Domins Tecvm" which points to it having been the
"Angelus" bell; that is that which was and still is often rung at 6
a.m., 12 noon and 6 p.m. in memory of the Annunciation and in honour of the
Incarnation.
Although
the South Choir Chapel is now a ruin, it would appear that it was still in a
good state at least up to the beginning of the eighteenth century when
"that learned Antiquary, Thomas Habington" gave a detailed account of
the glass in the windows in his "Antiquities of the Cathedral Church of
Worcester" (1717).
For
years, the ancient building has been the parish church in a backwater of the
County. Bishop Alcock's rebuilding lasted nearly five hundred years but, by the
end of the last war, the church was again in need of urgent repair. The Society
of Friends of the Priory was formed in 1954 and, since then, through the efforts
of all concerned, clergy and laity alike, the church has been provided with a
new porch, the windows have been repaired, the walls stripped of their plaster,
the stonework made good and the vestry refurbished.
Much
has and is being done to beautify the interior by local weavers, woodcarvers,
metal workers and (lower arrangers. The church possesses a chalice with paten
cover dated 1571, which is still used. It also has a fifteenth century crucifix,
given to the church, which is decorated with medallions showing the symbols of
the four evangelists and is so constructed that it can be used as a processional
cross.