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Neville Malkin's "Grand Tour" of the Potteries
buildings of
Etruria
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Etruria
contents: index of buildings in Etruria
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No 59 - St. Matthew's Church, Etruria
The church was designed by Henry Ward and Son of Hanley. It is Early English style and contained 727 sittings, 500 of these were free. The church cost £2,500 to erect and the living was £150 per annum. The tower contained one bell. St. Mathew's consisted of nave, aisles, chancel and north-west turret. There were originally galleries on three sides. |
St. Matthew's Church, Etruria
pen drawing by Neville Malkin - January 1976
[Since demolished]
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"The Church
of St. Matthew, Etruria, has many interesting tales to tell, but none
is more remarkable than that concerning burials. In 1849, the year the
church was opened, disease was widespread and epidemics rife. There
were no limits to burials, and at Etruria church alone more than 800
took place between 1849- 65, with 64 in 1863. In fact, burials were so
frequent that coffins were being covered by only a skittering of soil.
In December, 1864, a directive from the Home Secretary stated that burials were to be discontinued at the churches of Hanley, Shelton, Etruria, etc., by December 31st, 1866, with the exception of interments in vaults or walled graves, in which case the coffin was to be embedded in charcoal and enclosed in stone or brick-work. Following this communication, the Duchy of Lancaster granted Etruria Church a piece of land adjoining the existing graveyard, and the Rev. Topham applied to the Home Secretary for permission to use it as a burial ground. A visit by Dr. Holland, a Government inspector, was arranged, and, after touring the proposed site, he informed Topham of Hanley Council's opposition to the Scheme, upon which the Reverend burst into a fit of rage and abuse. Needless to say, Etruria did not get the necessary permission, but this had little effect on Topham, who continued burials in violation of the order. In June, 1885, 19 years after the closure order, Topham buried a still-born child in the churchyard. For such burials he received a fee of three shillings, and the sexton, Thomas Tideswell, one shilling for digging each shallow grave. At a later hearing, the sexton's wife said that there had been between 40 and 50 still-born children buried there during the previous five years. When she was describing the position of the small box, she stated: "There was no hole dug, but the ground was scratched." At the adjourned inquest, the surgeon, Mr. J. Charlesworth, said that he had not issued the burial certificate, and the Burial Board were told to take immediate action to prevent any further violation of the Order of Council at Etruria churchyard. Topham was fined £10, the maximum penalty." |
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The church of St. Matthew, Etruria was founded in September 1847, 40 years after the building of the Etruria pottery works and village by Josiah Wedgwood. Originally in the parish of St. Mark, Shelton - the new parish of Etruria was created in 1844. The
Boatmen's Chapel: Early in 1844 the Rev. Henry Wynter came
to Etruria village and stated that he intended to stay, when it was
pointed out that there was no Church of England in the village he
announced that he would make one. He hired temporary premises in a
large club room over the stable of the Etruria Inn. St. Matthew's Etruria: In 1845 the Bishop instructed that the schoolroom then being built should be used for services as soon as it was completed in place of the 'boatsmen's chapel' The church was consecrated on Sunday September 21st 1847 - St. Matthew's Day. It was built from light sandstone brought by canal barge from Cauldon Lowe. The land it was built on formerly contained the cottage of John Bourne. |
more
on St. Matthew's, Etruria
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Etruria Inn
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Etruria
contents: index of buildings in Etruria
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