St Mary and All Saints' Church, Kidderminster

St Mary and All Saints’ Church, Kidderminster is a Grade I listed Major Parish Church[1] in the Church of England in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England.[2] The current Team Rector is the Reverend Nigel Taylor.

St Mary and All Saints’, Kidderminster
St Mary and All Saints’ Parish Church, Kidderminster
Location	Kidderminster
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	http://www.ismere.co.uk/about-st.-mary-s.html
History
Dedication	St Mary All Saints'
Specifications
Length	215 feet (66 m)
Floor area	1,028 square metres (11,070 sq ft)
Administration
Parish	Kidderminster Ismere
Deanery	Kidderminster
Archdeaconry	Dudley
Diocese	Diocese of Worcester
Clergy
Rector	Revd Nigel Taylor
Vicar(s)	Revd Simon Archer

History

The foundation existed at the time of the Domesday book. Records of a consecration in 1315 probably refer to the chancel. The current church building dates mostly from the 15th and 16th centuries.

in April 1641, during the English Civil War, the vicar George Dance, agreed that he would give £60 a year, out of his income of £200, to a preacher who should be chosen by certain trustees. Richard Baxter was invited to deliver a sermon before the people, and was unanimously elected as the minister, or lecturer, of St Mary and All Saints' Church, Kidderminster.[3]

In 1847 a south aisle was added the chancel by Harvey Eginton, and the organ chamber was added in 1874. The tower was refaced in 1893 – 1895 by J.A. Chatwin.

The Whittall Chapel was added in 1921-1922 by Giles Gilbert Scott. Hubert Clist undertook some work in 1966 – 1967. Ronald Sims re-ordered the interior in 1988 – 1990.

St Mary and All Saints is the civic Church of Kidderminster and forms part of the Kidderminster Ismere team of churches which includes St John Wolverley, Holy Trinity Trimpley, St Barnabas Franche, St Oswald Broadwaters, St Peter Upper Arley and St Peter Cookley.

Organ

There are records of organ in the church dating from 1848 when an instrument was installed by George Holdich. There have been subsequent rebuildings and renovations over the years, resulting in a 3-manual and pedal pipe organ. The organ case was added in 1927 – 1928 by Giles Gilbert Scott. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[4]

A separate pipe organ is situated in the Whitall Memorial Chapel. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[5]

References

1. "Major Parish Churches".
2. The buildings of England. Worcestershire, Nikolaus Pevsner
3. Chisholm 1911, p. 551.
4. "The National Pipe Organ Register - NPOR".
5. "The National Pipe Organ Register - NPOR".

Sources

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Baxter, Richard". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 551–553.