The Victorian Period 1837-1901
The Harrowby family and Sandon All Saints
The Harrowby family, having purchased the Sandon estate in 1776, remained as patrons for over two centuries. Over the intervening quarter century, substantial remodelling took place.
In 1839 Thomas Trubshaw, a descendant of Edward Trubshaw, director for restoration work in 1655, oversaw more work to the church which included:
Extending the west part of the nave, but not to its original length.
Adding new roofs to the south aisle and nave.
New pews installed in the central Nave to replace the north facing pews, reusing the Digby oak where possible.
A new Vestry with the north aisle window moved to provide light.
Two piscinas uncovered in the north and south aisles.
The Norman Font revealed.
The old Chancel Screen removed from under the gallery pew and converted into a Reredos under the east window.
Part of the stairs to the old Rood Screen revealed
Larger elaborate pinnacles erected on the Tower. The originals were re-erected as a cross in the old Vicarage as a memorial to Bishop Ryder, a member of the Harrowby family.
An outer porch was built.
In 1851 the Earl of Harrowby entirely refaced the north aisle with stone and inset brass memorials to the Harrowby family.
In 1854 an organ (the present one) was installed and in 1891 a second manual and pedals were added. This was situated in the gallery over the porch, with the choir below at the west end of the south aisle.
Historical references
Records from various Vestry Meetings help to paint a detailed picture of this time.
On 31st March 1841 several matters were considered:
The great evils in this world and the next, of drunkenness, leading to the death of Geo. Hawkins, is earnestly desirous of adopting all such measures as to suppress all such drunkenness and disorder in the Parish for time to come.
Authorising the Minister to offer a reward of up to 10 shillings for information on illegal tipping on Sundays, or any drunkenness, fighting or other such disorderly conduct, at any time, in any Public House or Inn, in the Parish, and that the Churchwardens take such measures in order to banish such evil practices, and that these requirements be published in the Stafford paper and in the adjoining Parishes.
That one shilling per week be allowed to a woman for cleaning the church, (except those pews in the Chancel occupied by the Earl of Harrowby and his servants) and make a fire in the Vestry for any Vestry Meeting.
The need for additional burial ground was discussed at several meetings, as were concerns with heating the church. In 1846 it was agreed to make a cellar at the west end and to move the cockle into it from the vestry to allow more effective heating.
Bellringing brought issues of its own. In 1845 it was ordered that “A new floor be put in the Tower about Seven feet from the ground to make a chamber for the Ringers to ring in, so as to prevent the noise & disorder which has hitherto occurred, by the nearness of the Belfry to the Church Porch.” Later, in 1856 the bellringers were “admonished a second time to keep the belfry and tower free from nuisance and keys be furnished in order to keep boys out, on pain of dismissal”.
In June 1848 “the Meeting express to the Right Honourable the Earl of Harrowby, the unfeigned sympathy of the Parish with his Lordship, on account of the late calamitous fire, whereby the greater part of Sandon Hall has been destroyed, and to assure his Lordship that the tenants will be happy to assist with their teams according to their ability, would they be required to draw materials for the new building.”
Curiously, on April 15th 1852 “that the vergers and sexton be reappointed conditionally on their better behaviour.”
At the meeting on February 13th 1865 it was decided that “the ancient churchyard of Sandon is such as to require immediate enlargement and that the Vicar’s offer of a piece of the Glebe field is to be added to the existing churchyard be accepted and that the best thanks of the Parish be tendered to him for so liberally giving the land and that the best thanks of the Parish be given to the Earl of Harrowby for his Lordship’s liberal offer to defray the legal and consecration expenses and that all other expense necessary to complete the Undertaking be defrayed by the Parish”
Things to see in the church.
An inscription to Thomas Trubshaw can be found outside on the apex of the west end of the building.
The west window, a memorial to Jeremiah Ginders, of Sandon Mill House, by William Wailes dated 1846 in the Pugin style
Lady Chapel stained glass window 1856 of the Pugin style, provided in memory of Walter Carless, Reverend of Sandon in 1746.
Just inside the main door to the right stands a pillar alms box dedicated to the memory of joiner Francis Perkin who died on June 6th 1848, while fighting the fire at Sandon Hall. The base of the alms box is made from a piece of the stone that caused his death.
An eagle lectern, which was given by tenants and parishioners as a memorial to the 2nd Earl of Harrowby.
The Reredos converted from the old Chancel screen taken down in 1839
The Vicars and Patrons of Sandon All Saints
Records of the Vicars and Patrons of Sandon All Saints begin in the Medieval Period and continue through to the current day and will be available in the Archives Section as the website is developed.
