All
Saints
Until
the early 19th century, the centre of West Bromwich lay just to the
south of the parish church. However, following enclosure of the Heath,
in 1804, both the commercial and residential areas started to move
a mile or so south-west to what became the High Street section of
the Birmingham to Wolverhampton road. This movement resulted in the
present detached position of the parish church.
The rapid
growth of the population, and its distance from the church, led the
Archdeacon to declare, in 1839, that ecclesiastically West Bromwich
was one of the worst provided for in the Black Country. He proposed
building a new and larger parish church nearer the new centre but
this was vetoed by Lord Dartmouth. Instead, a series of mission churches
was provided.
The present
church of All Saints dates from 1872 but its site has held a church
for many centuries, possibly from 700 AD, and is believed to have
been dedicated to St Clement until some time in the 19th century.
The earliest evidence of a church are the Norman remains found in
the 1872 rebuilding, whilst the first written record dates from 1125
when Simon, Bishop of Worcester, confirmed Henry I's grant of the
parish church of Bromwic to the monks of Worcester Abbey. They subsequently
transferred the benefice to the monks of Sandwell Priory who held
it until the dissolution of the priory by Cardinal Wolsey in 1525.
Sometime
in the 14th century the Norman church was replaced by a larger, higher
building comprising a chancel, nave and west tower, and this was extended
by the addition of a north aisle in the following century. A chapel
at the east end of the north aisle was provided in 1573 by Walter
Stanley, Lord of the Manor, and a similar one, on the south side if
the nave, was given in 1619 to the memory of Sir William Whorwood
of Sandwell Hall.
By 1786
the building was in such a state of decay that it was demolished except
for the lower part of the tower and the Whorwood chapel. The new building
consisted of chancel, nave and tower and was extensively galleried.
Serious decay again set in and by 1870 a further demolition and rebuilding
became necessary. The present church of sandstone in a mixture of
Early English and Decorated styles with chancel, nave, north aisle
and tower was consecrated in 1872.
There
are two alabaster tombs with 17th century effigies of Sir William
and Lady Whorwood, and it is believed that similar tombs of the Stanley,
Sheldon, Page, Turton and Addenbrooke families were burnt for lime
during rebuilding.
