st alphege

Before 1856 the nave would have presented a very different picture. The rubble or rough stonework was plastered and, with the ashlar or dressed stonework, was lime-washed, the roof timbers concealed behind lath and plaster and the windows filled with clear glass. The Victorian ‘scrapers’ changed all this and in doing so revealed its history.

Above the west tower arch can now be seen the housing of the roof of the original nave. In the respond pier to the north is the springing and lower curve of an arch leading to an early chapel whilst to the south, above a more recent opening, is a blocked window, formerly in the south wall of the first nave. This is the only remaining clear evidence of the style of the first church and is plainly Norman.

The north aisle and porch, in the Decorated style, date from c. 1360. This was the start of the rebuilding of the nave but building work ceased, probably as a result of the Black Death which ravaged the country from 1348. Not until the sixteenth century did the population of Solihull return to its earlier level of 930. To meet their needs, and in spite of the prevailing religious confusion, the great nave and south aisle were built in 1535. The Churchwardens' Accounts detail the donors of timber for the roof. One of them was Richard Greswold who died in 1537 and was buried beneath the stone slab which now stands, totally defaced, in the south-west corner of the nave.

The impressive roof is described as an arched trussed rafter roof and merits a mention in the most authoritative History of Architecture by Sir Banister Fletcher. The outward pressure of this roof together with inadequate foundations on the underlying clay has led to an outward spread of the arcades. In 1948 arches and buttresses were built to prevent further movement.

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ST ALPHEGE

Sundays

8.00am Holy Eucharist (said)

9.15am Parish Eucharist & Sunday Club (2nd Sunday : All-age Eucharist)

Plus on 4th Sunday 'easy' in OBH rejoining Parish Eucharist at communion

11.00am Sung Eucharist

(traditional language)

6.30pm (except 4th Sunday)

Choral Evensong

6.30pm (4th Sunday)

Congregational Evensong

Plus at 6.00pm (1st Sunday)

‘the space’ – informal parish worship

(in the Oliver Bird Hall)

Weekday Eucharists

Monday 9.30am

Tuesday 9.30am

Wednesday 10.15am

Thursday 10.30am

  1st in month - Healing

  3rd in month - Mothers' Union

  Corporate Eucharist

Saturday 9.30am

Daily Morning Prayer

Mon-Sat 9.00am

(Wednesday 8.30am in term time)

ST HELEN

Sundays

8.00am Eucharist (Book of Common Prayer)

10.00am Parish Eucharist and Sunday Club 3rd Sunday : All-age worship (non-eucharistic)

6.30pm Evening Worship in Chapel

6.30pm (2nd Sunday) Wholeness and Healing service in Chapel.

Weekday Eucharist

Friday 10.00am

ST MICHAEL

Sundays

10.30am Holy Eucharist and Sunday Club (Sharmans Cross School)

10.30am (2nd Sunday) All-age worship (Sharmans Cross School).

4.30pm (2nd Sunday) Holy Communion (St Michael's Chapel).

Weekday Eucharist

Wednesday 10.00am at Oak Cottage