History of Shareshill (Part 2)
An extract from the Shareshill Parish Magazine
11/4/1908 The church as it now stands was completely overhauled in 1899, re-floored with wooden blocks, a heating apparatus put in, and the pews lowered.

A peel of six bells, cast by Taylor, of Loughborough, in which was incorporated the metal of the four very old bells was the gift of A.L. Vernon Esq. during the year he was High Sheriff of Staffordshire. The tenor bell has the following inscription on it: – “To the Glory of God”. This peel of bells was presented by Augustus Loveson Vernon, Esq. J.P. D.L. of Hilton Park, Wolverhampton, High Sheriff of Staffordshire 1899. Mr. Vernon also defrayed the largest part of the cost of the repairs with which the bells amounted to close upon £1,400. All the repairs and alterations were in the hands of Mr. S.Wooton, Builder, of Bloxwich, who carried out the work very successfully. The oldest of the four original bells had been hanging in the tower for a period of nearly 450 years, the others not quite so long as the dates upon them showed.

The parish church was originally built of stone with its N. and S. transepts and evidently much longer than at present. In the year of its restoration it was cased in red brick, the bricks being made from clay dug on the Hilton Estate. It now stands the strange anomaly of a square stone tower attached to a brick church with an Italian porch at the South door. The seating is all in very dark oak; the ceiling and the East end are decorated in the Italian style. The East window which is of painted glass was designed by the Rev. W.Havergal M.A., the Vicar at the time. The centre light which features the Doctrine of the Trinity is to the memory of Mr. Joshua Price of Featherstone. It was placed in the church as the window states by six nieces, and fifteen nephews. The two side lights are to the memory of Mr. Henry Vernon, the eldest brother of the present squire. Mural tablets are to be seen to the memory of the Rev. W.H.Havergal; the Rev. J.Boodle Clare; the Rev. W.Budworth, M.A.; the Rev. John Morrall; and to Mrs. Penelope Vernon and her child. On the N. side, under the window by the pulpit is the alabaster effigy of Sir Humfry Swinnerton, Knight of Shareshill. On the S. side directly opposite the effigy of his wife, who was Cassandra Giffard. These two effigies were found on an alter tomb in a Chantrey Chapel on the N. side of the old church. The sacred building has the distinction of bearing two dedications. Originally named after St. Luke, for some reason or other Sir Humfry Swinnerton had it “re-sanctified” and dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin.

The pulpit of the church was within the memory of some of the oldest inhabitants, an old three decker which stood in the centre of the nave near the Hilton Pew. This pew had curtains all round and a stove in it. The sounding board of the pulpit is now in the Vestry used as a table. Old Ward, who died at the ripe age of 95, was formerly shepherd of Hilton. In conversation with the old man, whose memory was very keen, he spoke of the music in Shareshill church at one time being flutes, clarinet, and a big fiddle. These instruments were played by Tom Taylor, of Shareshill, Stokes of Saredon, and William Kibble the schoolmaster, who lived in the old thatched cottage which stood on ground in the Hilton Lane on which the Squire had built two new ones.

Henry Pinson was clerk in 1817; John Pitt succeeded him and used to live in Taylor’s Row; Mr. Shaw followed for a period of 45 years to be succeeded by Harry Adams, then Charles Cooper, after whom came Mr. John Harris, the village blacksmith, and at the present time Mr. Gamston. Lady Grosvenor and Miss Vernon were buried in the vault under the Hilton Pew. The entrance to the vault is on the S. side of the church between two windows at the top of that side. They were buried by torchlight at 9 at night, now nearly 90 years ago. The bodies were brought all the way from London by road and met by the retainers at that part of the Wolverhampton Road where the Red, White and Blue used to stand. Here the procession reformed and proceeded with the lighted torches to the churchyard.

Special notice may be given to the very fine brickwork of the church, more particularly at the Apse. The bricks are old fashioned 2½ inch; the points are made with very fine mortar and the work of the bricklaying and the make of the bricks are so good that since the restoration in 1843 they have never required pointing, neither have any bricks flaked by weathering!

At the period of the 1899 repairs, a new communion table with cloth was presented to the church conjointly by Lord Hatherton and Mrs. T.R.Smith; an oak eagle lectern given by the family of Mr. John Wood of Latherford in his memory; a brass alms dish by the Rev. F. and Mrs. Ruen of East Dulwich; two oak collecting dishes by Mr. W.H.Ruen of East Dulwich; a brass lectern for the communion table by Mrs. R.G.Arblaster in memory of her father and mother Mr. & Mrs. Kay; a pulpit desk by Miss M.Wood; an oak lectern stool by Mr. C.Connor; and the bookmarkers by Miss Tonks of Wolverhampton. Before leaving the subject of the church it may not be out of place to record here a local tradition anent the building “The site of the church was first intended to be on Saredon Hill, and the building was begun; but, whatever work was done in the daytime is said to have been pulled down at night by the pixies who lived in the woods around and who brought the stones to the present site.

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