Church of St Philip, Redditch, Worcestershire

Summary

St Philips at Webheath is an Anglican church, dating from 1869-70 by Frederick Preedy (1820-1898). A vestry was added in 1954 by John M. Collier.

Description

An Anglican church, dating from 1869-70 by Frederick Preedy (1820-1898). A vestry was added in 1954 by John M. Collier.

MATERIALS: It has sandstone walls with Bath stone dressings, some granite detailing and a clay tiled roof.

PLAN: The building is orientated south-west to north-east; however liturgical coordinates are used in this description. It has a four-bay nave with a small narthex at the south-west. The chancel has a north organ chamber, vestry and boiler room.

EXTERIOR: All elevations are in snecked sandstone with ashlar dressings, except for the vestry which is plain ashlar. The four bays of the nave, and the sides of all gable ends have buttresses with offsets and stone coping. There is a bellcote between the nave and the two-bay chancel. The nave has a two-light window with trefoil arches and a quatrefoil oculus above in each bay. In the chancel there is a three-light window with two oculi in the primary bay of the south elevation, and a plain pointed-arch window on either side of the secondary bay. The east window has three lights with two small and one large foiled oculi. The west gable has a central two-light window with an oculus, and a single light to either side, and there is a cinquefoil window in either side of the narthex. The main doorway is a gothic arch with granite columns with foliated heads and carved bases; it has a solid door with decorative bracing. The bellcote has a pointed head and offsets and has a Celtic cross finial. There is a plain cross finial on the west gable. Two panels have been added to the west elevation commemorating those who fell in the First and Second World Wars and Palestinian War.

INTERIOR: The nave is a large, uninterrupted space from which the pews have been removed. All internal walls are ashlar. The roof is an exposed arched-braced construction, with the braces resting on carved stone corbels and rising to the collars, and further braces from the collars to the ridge. The rood screen and pulpit are carved wood with some intricate detailing. There are some good carved details such as foliated corbels, chamfering and window surrounds. The door between the narthex and nave is solid with decorative strap hinges. All of the windows are clear glass with diamond leading, except for two in stained-glass. The east window is by the architect and depicts the Old Testament stories of the Binding of Isaac, the Brazen Serpent and the Crucifixion. The window in the south-east of the nave is by Capronnier and dates from 1871, it depicts Christ and Mary Magdalene. There is an elaborate reredos of marble and alabaster featuring mosaic angels and various crests by Burke & Co. The choir stalls are simple benches with trefoil backrests and before the altar is a simple rail. The font is square with squared off corners on four narrow, and one wide column. The ‘suffer the little children’ phrase from the gospels is carved in relief around the top. There is a wooden panel war memorial with a roll of the dead of the first and second World Wars. The vestry displays similar stylistic features, and there is carved stone piscina on a column at the entrance.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The churchyard is enclosed by sandstone walls, some with iron railings attached, and the stone gate piers at the front of the church have chamfered corners and circular motifs. There is an iron boot scraper at the main entrance.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 30 October 2017.

History

St Philip's Church was commissioned by Baroness Windsor, at a cost of £3000. It was to be a chapel-of-ease to St Bartholomew's at Tardebigge which was serving the large parish. The land was donated by Mr R Hemming JP, of Bentley Manor and the architect was Frederick Preedy (1820-1898) who began the church in 1869. It was dedicated as the Church of St. Philip the Apostle on 22nd February, 1870 by Dr Henry Philpott, the Lord Bishop of Worcester.

The organ was built by the John Nicholson Organ Works of Worcester, and was installed in 1890. The stained glass on the east window was the work of the architect, and the other stained-glass window in the nave was by Jean-Baptiste Capronnier (1814-1891), a notable Belgian glass painter.

The north vestry was extended in the mid-C20 providing extra accommodation. Recent changes include the removal of the pews, the installation of a new heating system and the addition of hanging light fittings.

Reasons for Listing

St Philip’s church at Webheath is designated at Grade 2 for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural: it is a balanced and attractive composition both internally and externally and has some high quality carved-stone detailing
* Historic: it was built by Frederick Preedy, a prolific high-Victorian church architect with many other listed buildings to his name
* Historic: the church houses memorials to those who fell in the First and Second World Wars, and the Palestinian War
* Artistic: there are unusual and well-executed stained glass windows by Preedy and Cappronier, and an ornate reredos of marble and alabaster
* Intactness: the church has undergone little significant alteration and retains its plan, structural fabric, decorative detailing and much of its furnishing

External Links

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