Page 7 - St Alphege Guide 2012 for website

Above the west tower arch can now be seen The impressive roof is described as an arched
the housing of the roof of the original nave. In trussed rafter roof and merits a mention in the
the respond pier to the north is the springing by Sir Banister Fletcher.
and lower curve of an arch leading to an early The outward pressure of this roof together
chapel whilst to the south, above a more with inadequate foundations on the underlying
recent opening, is a blocked window, formerly clay has led to an outward spread of the
in the south wall of the first nave. This is the arcades. In 1879 iron ties were installed and in
only remaining clear evidence of the style of 1948 arches and buttresses were built to
the first church and is plainly Norman. prevent further movement.
The north aisle and porch, in the Decorated
style, date from . 1360. This was the start of Notable Items
the rebuilding of the nave but building work
ceased, probably as a result of the Black Death Brass candelabrum given by Anthony Holbech in 1706. Oak
which ravaged the country from 1348. Not pews installed in 1879. The Mayor’s Pew was the gift of
until the sixteenth century did the population Solihull School in 1954 to mark the grant of Borough status.
Jacobean pulpit dated 1610.
of Solihull return to its earlier level of 930. To Lectern dated 1884, in memory of Dr Thomas Lowe.
meet their needs, and in spite of the prevailing Hatchments and other memorials, especially to the
religious confusion, the great nave and south Greswold family, later spelt Greswolde, of Malvern Hall.
aisle were built in 1535. Acrostic memorial to William Hawes and painted board to
The Churchwardens’ Accounts detail the the Dabridgecourts, 1599.
donors of timber for the roof. One of them was Monuments to many Solihull families and Rectors. Window
by
in the north aisle:
Richard Greswold who died in 1537 and was Claude Price, 1977.
buried beneath the stone slab which now Consecration Cross in the capital of the second pillar of the
stands, totally defaced, in the south-west south arcade.
corner of the nave.