Earlswood - St Patrick
Earlswood's church of St Patrick stands in an entirely rural location, a seemingly isolated site on Salter Street, just a couple of miles south of the urban sprawl of Shirley. It seems like one of those churches with no village to serve, with Earlswood itself being situated further to the south. Its remoteness makes it appear all the more splendid with it's distinctively gabled west tower serving as a proud landmark rising immediately adjacently to the main road.

The tower steals the show externally, indeed little else registers beyond it as one passes by road since much is concealed behind trees. Therefore one focuses solely on this slightly eccentric feature, a tower which proudly asserts it's Victorian credentials with it's mixture of brick with stone detailing, the aforementioned gabled top (lending a highly individual profile) and deeply recessed and elaborately detailed west porch, worthy of any major urban church of it's time. It was added in 1860 to an earlier building of 1839-40 by architect G.T.Robinson.
However appearances can be deceptive, and this is quite true of this church, as despite the overall High Victorian impression what follows is actually one of the finest Arts & Crafts period churches in the Midlands; The main body of the building beyond the tower was rebuilt to the designs of William Bidlake in 1899, and has distinctly different feel to it. Though technically late Victorian, Bidlake's design was somehwhat ahead of it's time and evokes the kind of spacious urban churches that were built over the first decades of the 20th century.
However appearances can be deceptive, and this is quite true of this church, as despite the overall High Victorian impression what follows is actually one of the finest Arts & Crafts period churches in the Midlands; The main body of the building beyond the tower was rebuilt to the designs of William Bidlake in 1899, and has distinctly different feel to it. Though technically late Victorian, Bidlake's design was somehwhat ahead of it's time and evokes the kind of spacious urban churches that were built over the first decades of the 20th century.

Through the twin openings of the porch is revealed an attractive entrance lobby space directly under the tower, surmounted by a ribbed vault, at whose centre is the opening for hoisting the bells into the tower surrounded by a cluster of foliate bosses. The style is still very much Victorian Gothic, and the chandelier hung from this ceiling makes it feel like the entrance to some grand hotel as much as a church. But beyond the door lies a rather different building, which our initial experiences have not prepared us for.

The spacious interior opens up beyond beneath an impressive wooden ceiling whose arched braces accentuate the sense of space and distance to the altar, which itself is curiously sited within a low, apse-like vaulted chapel, curiously squashed in below the east window, a miniature version of the arrangement one often finds with eastern chapels in larger cathedrals. The entire chancel floor is raised significantly higher than that of the nave, as witnessed by the flight of steps revealed beneath the finely carved chancel screen. Above two figures of saints in niches, St Patrick and St Chad, flank the chancel arch.
To the left is the unusually high pulpit, more of a balcony emerging from a doorway (entered from the chancel), whilst below it is the font, adorned with the emblems of the Four Evangelists in relief.
There is much fine detailing to enjoy, with carved and painted foliate corbels (some framing faces like Green Men) supporting the roof braces (which are also adorned with coloured accents) and medieval-inspired angels guarding the altar in it's eastern chapel, both in the spandrel reliefs above and the praying figures either kneeling beneath the vaulted ceiling of the altar chapel.
To the left is the unusually high pulpit, more of a balcony emerging from a doorway (entered from the chancel), whilst below it is the font, adorned with the emblems of the Four Evangelists in relief.
There is much fine detailing to enjoy, with carved and painted foliate corbels (some framing faces like Green Men) supporting the roof braces (which are also adorned with coloured accents) and medieval-inspired angels guarding the altar in it's eastern chapel, both in the spandrel reliefs above and the praying figures either kneeling beneath the vaulted ceiling of the altar chapel.

The opulence of the building and it's rich detailing is reflected in the furnishings, most noticeable of which is the fine wooden chancel screen and the wonderfully flamboyant oversized foliate poppyheads on the chancel benches. Stained glass on the other hand plays a more minor, somewhat subdued role here; the east window portraying Christ flanked by four saints appears to be by the studios of James Powell's & Sons of London, with Pre-Raphaelite inspired figures against a pale background; it is beautifully drawn, but the minimal colour leaves one wondering what could have been achieved if one of the Birmingham trained Arts & Crafts artists had been commissioned here instead to provide a real focus for the interior, somehow this window doesn't provide that climax.
There are small individual lights in the apse chapel below containing angels, also by Powell's, whilst on the south side of the nave is a War memorial window depicting SS George and Martin by the Birmingham studio of Pearce & Cutler, again more subdued in colouring and St George's face is clearly a portrait of one of the fallen young men it commemorates.
Ironically the only true Arts & Crafts stained glass in the church is hidden high in the west wall of the tower and can be seen from the ringing chamber, two small panels with tree motifs containing symbols of the Passion and Eucharist.
However a further embellishment is to be found at the west end with the two fine murals by Bernard Sleigh depicting scenes from the life of St Patrick, painted within the arched recesses either side of the west entrance and gallery.
There are small individual lights in the apse chapel below containing angels, also by Powell's, whilst on the south side of the nave is a War memorial window depicting SS George and Martin by the Birmingham studio of Pearce & Cutler, again more subdued in colouring and St George's face is clearly a portrait of one of the fallen young men it commemorates.
Ironically the only true Arts & Crafts stained glass in the church is hidden high in the west wall of the tower and can be seen from the ringing chamber, two small panels with tree motifs containing symbols of the Passion and Eucharist.
However a further embellishment is to be found at the west end with the two fine murals by Bernard Sleigh depicting scenes from the life of St Patrick, painted within the arched recesses either side of the west entrance and gallery.

St Patrick's church is sadly normally kept locked as a result of it's lonely position near a busy road, but this should not deter would be visitors as it is an absolute gem that deserves far wider recognition and appreciation. It may be necessary to make an appointment with someone in the parish (see their website) to open up and whilst it is frustrating having to make arrangements in advance it is in this case well worth the effort, and the parishoners would be delighted to know others share a delight in their lovely church.
Aidan McRae Thomson 2013
Aidan McRae Thomson 2013