Memorials of Shrewsbury: being a concise description of the town and its environs, adapted as a general guide for the information of visitors and residentsPidgeon, Henry
Science
Memorials of Shrewsbury: being a concise description of the town and its environs, adapted as a general guide for the information of visitors and residents
Pidgeon, Henry
Shrewsbury (England) -- Guidebooks
Whilst these pages are passing through the press, a most important
improvement has been effected in the chancel, by removing the altar
screen, which, although a handsome Grecian design, obstructed not only
much of the eastern window, but was quite out of character with the
building. Another of a more appropriate description will be substituted.
The eastern window contains the truly splendid glass that adorned the
chancel of old St. Chad’s, and which escaped the destruction that befel
the other parts of the fabric. It was carefully removed and presented to
this parish by the trustees for putting into execution the act for
rebuilding the new church.
This glass, unequalled in point of beauty and colouring, represents THE
GENEALOGY OF CHRIST, from the root of Jesse. The patriarch occupies the
breadth of three bays of the window, being depicted as reclining in a
deep sleep, with his head resting upon an embroidered pillow, and
supported on his right hand. From his loins issues a VINE, the branches
of which, before its disarrangement, overspread the whole window,
inclosing within the ovals formed by its intersections a KING or PROPHET
of the ancestry of Joseph, the series of which is finished by the husband
of the Virgin Mary in a devotional posture at the feet of his progenitor.
Many of the figures are depicted with their peculiar emblems. The ground
of the whole is varied and exquisitely vivid, on which the clusters of
grapes and the bright verdure of the vine leaves are displayed with great
effect.
Two compartments contain figures of ancient knights vested in the hawberk
and bearing their square banners, and kneeling beneath foliated
tabernacles. They represent Sir John Cherleton, Lord of Powis, and his
son Sir Owen. From the following translation of an inscription on a part
of the window,
“Pray for Monsieur John de Charlton, who caused this glazing to be
made, and for Dame Hawis his companion,”
the date of its erection is ascertained to be about the middle of the
fourteenth century; it was originally placed in the church of the convent
of Grey Friars in this town, from whence it was removed to St. Chad’s at
the Dissolution.
Many of the figures have been displaced in their change of situation;
their re-arrangement, however, is now in progress, and to complete the
genealogical line additional figures will be added, and the lower tier of
arches in the window, formerly filled with brick-work, have been opened
to their base.
At the west end of the nave is a peculiarly rich and full-toned organ,
made by the celebrated builders Harris and Byfield, in 1729, which has
recently been improved by the addition of an octave and a half of pedal
pipes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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