'Sharing the Love of Jesus in Word and Action'
St. Luke's, Hodnet with The Epiphany, Peplow
We are a parish with two beautiful churches, we have a small but dedicated community who create a warm welcome for all!
St Luke's, Hodnet
A very warm welcome awaits everyone to our beautiful Norman church.
The church in Hodnet was founded c. 1083 and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Much of the Norman nave of the building still survives. The semi-circular stone arch around the main doorway is Norman and when inside the church, if you stand in front of the font and look towards the organ to the step in front of it, that marks the extent of the old Norman building. The Norman church was lengthened beyond the step in the early 14th Century to provide a new and much larger chancel. The north aisle and the tower were also added in the 14th Century. Outside on the south wall of the church, you will see the sundial (1673) and the Leper Stone which the lepers used to stand on to look through the window to watch Mass.
The most famous incumbent of St Luke’s was Bishop Heber who was Rector of Hodnet from 1807-1823. Whilst at Hodnet, he wrote many well-known hymns including “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty”. In 1823 Heber became Bishop of Calcutta but died out there in 1826. [photo]
St Luke’s has the only octagonal tower in Shropshire. There are eight bells in the tower; the first six dating from 1769 were cast by Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester and were restored and re-hung by Taylors of Loughborough in 1931. Two lighter bells were added in 1947, again by Taylors, as a thanksgiving for victory in WWII.
The beautiful stained glass windows behind the altar table in the chancel in the north aisle commemorate Mary Heber who died in 1846. The window behind the organ depicts the four Evangelists and is the work of Shropshire artist David Evans. This window has become famous with the story of the Holy Grail of King Arthur legends and brought to current public interest through the book and film "The Da Vinci Code".
The pipe organ is a fine example originally built by Nicholson and Lord around 1878 which underwent a complete refurbishment and rebuild in 2023.
To the left of the holy table is the Heber-Percy Chapel built in 1870. The pulpit dates from the eighteenth century, whilst the stone font has several Norman characteristics but is probably a seventeenth century imitation. Many of the monuments are dedicated to members of the Hill family from Hawkstone Hall.
Services are held at St Luke’s on three Sundays each month: two Morning Prayer services and one traditional Holy Communion. Although there are steps up to the church from the ‘Wedding Steps’ and through the Lych Gate, there is also disabled access from the Marchamley road entrance to a car parking area and a gravelled path to the main church door. Our church is the largest in the Benefice and can seat 350 in traditional pews.
Reginald Herber
The Epiphany Chapel, Peplow
We are a small and friendly congregation in this hamlet just over three miles south of Hodnet.
The chapel was designed by the famous Victorian architect, Norman Shaw in the style of a cruciform and is built of brick, in the early English style. The Chapel corner stone was laid in 1877, by Caroline Stanier in the presence of the Bishop of Lichfield. The costs of construction were met by the Stanier family, who bought Peplow Hall and the estate from Lord Hill in 1873.
A large mural is an outstanding feature which is painted on the walls of the chancel and depicts "The Epiphany". It was painted by Douglas Strachan and was commissioned by Beville Stanier in 1903, in memory of Francis Stanier.
The chapel remained a part of the Peplow estate until the late 1940s when it passed to the Lichfield Diocese.
Peplow has a thriving crafts group which makes jams, chutneys and craft items which are sold throughout the year to raise funds for church maintenance. These sales together with an annual Christmas fayre raise between £4000 and £5000 each year.
Services are held at the Chapel of the Epiphany on the second (Evensong) and fourth (Holy Communion) Sundays of each month. Everyone is welcome!
St. Luke's Church, Church Street, Hodnet, Shropshire, TF9 3NQ
The Epiphany, Nr. Peplow Hall, TF9 3NQ
