I do not venture to these northern Welsh border towns as often as I visit the south Shropshire towns.
One of my delightful Instagram contacts that I have been to some of her talks at Tanners Wine & on folklore & customs, mentioned visiting St Peter's Church in the village of Melverley.
It is one of those border towns, close to Oswestry.
It straddles the confluences of the river Severn & Vyrnw & highlights Shropshire's closeness to our Welsh neighbours as well as the history of the conflicts this closeness brought in times past.
However, there has been a place of Christian worship at Melverley for almost 1000 years. The time period is just staggering, it is difficult to comprehend a millennium of worship at this site.
The comprehensive church guides note that the ancient manor of Melverley was once held by a family headed by Ealric but after the Norman conquest, it passed in to the hands of Rainault, who was deputy to Roger de Montgomery, the first Earl of Shrewsbury & a kinsman of William the Conqueror.
Much of English history references William the Conqueror - 1066, a defining period of history.
We learn that in 1141 Ordericus Vitalis mentions a 'wooden chapel on the banks of the river above Shrewsbury' & this is likely to be this wooden church. Ordericus was born at Atcham, on the banks of the River Severn near Shrewsbury on 16 February 1075. His life was fascinating, pop over to read about it here ...
However, in 1401, the Welsh Chieftain Owain Glyndwr burnt the chapel to the ground during the Welsh uprising. Much of the current church was the one rebuilt after this event.
The church is a rare example of early British churches constructed of timber, wattle & daub. The white sections are narrower than the timbers, a sign of early construction. It was made of Melverley oak, local oak & it is entirely pegged with wooden pegs throughout. These pegs are still visible on the walls inside & out.
Because the church stands alongside where the river Vyrnwy joins the River Severn, it has flooded several times in its long history, the most recent being in 1990. In 1990-2, the riverbank was reinforced with a 100foot steel wall that is 30 foot deep to protect this grade 1 listed church.
The church is entered via small wooden porch which opens via a wooden screen to the impressive nave.
The wooden beams against the white plasterwork is very striking, considering the huge oak beams are only held in place with wooden pegs.
How did workmen raise this huge oak beams in to place hundreds of years ago, while pegging them with such accuracy?
Some of the pews in the nave are early 1700's, sobering to think how many have sat on them while in church.
On some of the wooden pew rails, there is very old markings, graffiti from legions of people who left their mark - literally.
I can imagine the young having to sit through very long sermons on a Sunday & to keep occupied, they carved out these shapes, probably with a pen knife that everyone carried in those days.
I wonder what those shapes represent?
The pews are solid without decoration or ornamentation & they have served church people for hundreds of years.
One of the wooden supports has the year 1700 carved in it.
The font is almost certainly Saxon, a survivor from the original pre-1401 church that was burnt down.
The font cover is dated 1718. How many babies have been Christened in this space.
It is not a showy font, it is solid with cut marks visible from when stonemasons carved it centuries ago.
The altar table is early Jacobean (1603-1625). It is deceptively simple but solid.
It is the sort of table that does not date so I did not immediately realise its age.
The Pulpit is also Jacobean, accessed by some steps up to it.
A very interesting feature is the lectern with its 2 candle holders & a massive chained Bible dating from 1727.
How fascinating that it was available to be read, but not taken away.
I wonder how many of the congregation were actually literate, able to read, write of even sign their own names?
I know from family research that few ordinary people were literate even in to the 1850's. They signed their names with a cross.
It is fascinating to think that some folk would have stood at the lectern to read this massive tome of the Bible, some might have stopped by to just gaze at the writing, unable to read much of it but knowing its importance.
This
Chancel space was lit by candles held high in the Flemish candle chandelier that is still in place.
These are some of the many features that caught my eye during my visit. There is so much to take in, the wooden beams lending a sense of history to the space.
There is a pretty wooden gallery above the porch & nave.
It is accessed via a set of steep turning stairs that are quite tight & uneven.
However, the view over the church from the creaky gallery is rather lovely - up in the rafters, the solid oak beams, the screen between the nave & the chancel cuts across nicely.
The whole space is very peaceful. It is a compact church but with so much to just sit & take in.
From up high, the wooden beam screens are very evident, their solid shape giving the structure support.
I speculated in my head who would have used the gallery - additional parishioners at Christmas & Easter, the wealthy who wanted to be separated from their workers, or was it for choirs & musicians? We will not know for certain but it affords a lovely view over the church.
It is still used weekly for worship, as it has done for a millennia & that history is very special.
You feel that you are part of something much larger than just your part. I signed the visitors book, popped a donation in the box & reluctantly took my leave of this peaceful space.
We walked around the church outside, noticing the many wooden building pegs still visible & you can see the wonkiness of the walls between the beams. A lovely peaceful spot.
I hope you have enjoyed the visit with me. Heads-up from contacts about beautiful local spaces is the best of the internet & social media.
Thank you for stopping by, it is always appreciated.
Dee
