Church Heritage Record 642308

Rectangular. West narthex with organ loft above. 6-bay nave and choir in one with north Lady Chapel and south sacristy. Short chancel with south vestry. Boiler beneath south-east corner.

[Approximate] Nave and choir 22m (72ft) x 13m (43ft), chancel 3m (10ft)

In the 19th century the area around the site, which is within the Black Country, would have been quite rural but with light industry including quarrying, brick-making, coal mining and the metal industry in addition to farming.

Records log the location of a medieval Abbey Farm to the west of the site, a tower mill of c.1830 (converted to residential) lies to the north-west, and the position of a WWI anti-aircraft battery is noted to the north-east.

Church Plans Online records the approved application for a new church at Upper Gornal 1836-44. According to the church’s statement of significance demand for a new church grew in response to a growing population and was recognised by the vicar of Sedgley in 1837. A foundation stone was laid in 1838 (not seen), the church opened in 1842 and was consecrated in 1843. It cost in the region of £2400.

An interior balcony was removed in 1876 reducing the number of seats. Further changes were made to the interior in the 1920s when a stone chancel screen was built with integrated pulpit, new Lady Chapel, changes to the organ, and an oak reredos. At some later stage (possibly c.194) the rear pews were removed to accommodate the font and a gathering area, a stained glass window was added to the south.

In 1935 a new hall replaced an old national school building to the north of the church.

An article in the Church Times in 1949 records the church’s reopening following redecoration and improvements including work to the organ. Photographs of 1949 show that the church originally had taller west turrets and shows that the west gateway has been widened. It also appears that there was decorative tiling to dado height in the chancel where there is now panelling – it is not evident if this detail still survives beneath.

The archaeological potential of the site is low. There are no known designations relating to the ecology of the plot, though it contains mature trees to the east.

Surrounded by later development the church is virtually all that remains of the older buildings of Upper Gornal. The gabled west end faces the road. The central section emphasised by octagonal turrets which clasp either side and are pierced with rectangular windows on each facet and capped by pyramidal lead roofs. Steps lead up to a central door set between small lancet windows, beneath a three-light perpendicular style window. A modern clock face (1982) is above the window and a stone cross finial affixed to the apex above that. Flat-roofed projections to north and south form the narthex. Additional entrance doors are provided to either side, beneath a single lancet window. Behind the west front the combined nave and aisles meet to form a shallow pitched roof.  

The 6-bay nave has tall lancet windows with three stage buttresses between each. A stone plinth runs around the base of the building. Extending from the south-east corner is the vestry with hipped roof. An external door faces west. Stairs lead down to a boiler room beneath it. In the north-east corner is a turret, understood to have been used for storage, the ground floor lancet window is blocked with brick and the door is securely fastened.

At the east end the chancel, which is lower than the nave, extends from the east wall. It has a shallow pitched roof. The east wall is pierced with three lancets.

Access to the interior is from the west narthex, through either the south-west or west doors. There are steps upto each of the doors. The narthex is paved in red quarry tiles and there are tiny doors in the bases of the turrets in the north-west and south-west corners, which provide access to the organ loft on a gallery above where the pipes obscure the west window. A glazed screen separates the narthex from the nave.

The nave walls are of painted plaster. Overhead is an open timber roof with, in the nave, queen-post trusses with decorative spandrels (pierced quatrefoils) resting on stone corbels between each bay with boarding above. Seating is provided by pine pews fixed to raised softwood platforms. The aisles are paved in red and black quarry tiles with ventilation grilles and carpet covering the central aisle. Heating pipes continue to either side of the aisle and around the walls at ground level. The windows are glazed with cathedral glass with diamond, square and circular leaded panes, except that to the south-west (see list below). Carved wood sills have been fitted beneath each nave window (c.1950s). Modern suspended lights, each with three lamps provide additional illumination.

The south-east and north-west corners are separated by simple open oak screens creating the Lady Chapel to the north (carpeted) and Sacristy to the south. That to the south has additional curtains and a door in the east wall which accesses the vestry.

At the east end of the nave, two steps rise to the choir between a low stone chancel wall (inserted 1920?). A pulpit is integrated into this wall to the north side. The choir is paved with decorative encaustic Minton floor tiles with choir stalls fixed to north and south and matching priests’ desks to either side. These are inscribed in memory of George Yates, churchwarden 1931-46.

The plain, pointed chancel arch has an inner arch with shafts painted to appear like marble resting on stone imposts. The short chancel has a pitched roof. The lower walls are panelled in oak and inscribed in memory of various individuals with dates c.1950s. There is another step up to the sanctuary which is paved with decorative quarry tiles. Visible behind the altar table, beneath the reredos, are glazed tiles of a former decorative scheme. Above it is a three-light east window.