St Benedict Biscop

The Church of St Benedict Biscop has stood at the heart of our village of Wombourne for over a thousand years. No one is quite sure about the origins of our first church but it has been suggested that our church was founded as a chapel to pray for the souls of those who had been killed at the battle of Tettenhall towards the end of the dark ages. On the 5th of August 910 the English king Edward the Elder defeated the invading Danes near Tettenhall. This was an important battle as it stopped Viking kingdoms expanding south. Our first Saxon church would have been very simple, it may not even have been built of stone. Sadly no trace of that church now remains.

During medieval times Wombourne remained a small community of no more than a couple of dozen families, but gradually the church evolved, the wood or wattle and daub of Saxon times was replaced by local sandstone. Georgian prints of the church from the beginning of the nineteenth century show a typical small country church of nave, aisle, chancel, tower and spire.

The nineteenth century was a time of great change. The Industrial Revolution changed many local villages into small towns and although this did not happen to our village the growth in populations meant that the medieval church was too small for local Christians and in 1840 nearly all the medieval church was swept away in favour of a splendid new edifice in the then fashionable Strawberry Hill gothic style. The 14th century tower with its recessed stone spire and three tiers of lucarns was retained and has now watched over our village for just under 700 years.

Twenty years later a new Vicar of Wombourne, the Reverend William Heale. came to the parish. A graduate of Wadham College Oxford, he had been influenced by the catholic revival led by John Keble, John Henry Newman and Edward Pusey. The early Victorians did not build well and he was determined to restore and renew St Benedicts's according to ancient principals and engaged the Oxford architect George Street to rebuild a larger Church. George Street recommended that most of the church built in the 1840's be demolished and in its place he built a fine town church. Usually for Street, the church is not in one particular style. Rather elements from different periods combine to give the impression of a church that has evolved across the centuries. So St Benedict's boasts a South aisle complete with lancet windows in the early English style, a chancel whose windows remind us of the thirteenth century and a south aisle with perpendicular windows that were popular on the eve of the reformation !

Our new church was consecrated by the Bishop of Rochester in August 1867,

It has been difficult to improve on Street's design for our Church. Over the last 150 years a Lady Chapel has been created in the north chapel, the vestry extended and the amount of fixed seating has been reduced. Not much change for 150 years! The Church Council try hard to be good stewards of what they have inherited and are at present considering plans to improve the floor, disabled access and provide some toilets. All things that are necessary for a 21st century church which tries to serve a vibrant and active Christian Community.