Our Church History

 

A very comprehensive history of our church, and previous chapels within the current parish, can be found in:

 

Mabel Wheat (1954) A story about Sambrook Parish. The Advertiser Printing Works: Newport, Shropshire.

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Here are some extracts:

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'Eyton very vaguely mentions a chapel in Sambrook, but it was of course, under Cheswardine Church.  I have been unable to get any official date for it, but in an old record belonging to Cheswardine, there are entries concerning collections from Sambrook to the churchwardens there in 1563 and 1567, so I feel that it might have been from a service in the chapel

 

...In 1838 a small chapel was built, by subscription, in a small field opposite the village green exactly opposite the road going up to the Cross Hills.  Whilst some deep ploughing was in progress in this field this year the exact site was turned up, and it would be seen that it was only a small building, its main door facing towards Standford Bridge. This was never consecrated, and services could only be held on Sunday afternoons, but it did help the religious life of the village a little 

 

...The chapel was not really a success even after the Bishop had permitted it to have a resident curate, the Rev Houghton.  It was badly constructed and damp. Also, the people from around had to go at least three miles for burials or weddings

 

...A boon was asked of the Queen and the Bishop to allow a parish of Sambrook to be made and a church, vicarage, school and school house to be built.  This must have been granted and patrons and incumbents of several parishes agreed to help.  Early in 1850 a building committee was formed to see to all the work and I take it to gather in subscriptions

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...The site was chosen by the Ven. Archdeacon Allen, and Mr J C B Borough gave two and three-quarter acres of land of which one acre has been conveyed to Her Majesty's Church Building Commissioners, and the other portions were conveyed respectively to the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty and to trustees sanctioned by the Council of Education.  The work was put in hand.  Mr Terry was the architect and Messrs Nevett the builders.  Mention should be made here of the help and gifts bestowed to aid the building: Mr Gardener allowed the required bricks to be made on his land at Well Bank Farm, Pickstock; Mr Borough gave the free use of a stone quarry convenient to the  site; and the carriage of all materials was undertaken by twenty-five residents, in or near the district

 

...Mr Heane of Newport did all the legal work without charge, and the Rectors of Edgmond and Chetwynd allowed some of their stipend to be annexed; and Mr Borough pledged himself to the  Bishop to raise the endowment to œ130 a year as soon as possible.  Mr Bevan was in charge of all the carting of materials and Mr Cordwell was the treasurer.  The cost of building the Church, Vicarage, School to accommodate seventy children, and master's house was estimated at œ3,400.  There was a very good response to the appeal.  Over two hundred people subscribed with amounts ranging from 10s to œ1,000 and three Church societies giving œ480.  The vicar was appointed in 1855, and while waiting took services at the Chapel

 

...His name was Rev. S Clarke.  The building of Church and Vicarage was completed in September 1856 and the Church of St Luke was consecrated on October 2nd 1856 [This is the current church today].  I cannot do better than give you the report of it from the "Newport and Market Drayton Advertiser", which the Editor allowed me to copy:-

 

"The new district Church of Sambrook, in the Parish of Cheswardine, was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Lichfield on Thursday last, October 2nd.  The want of accommodation in such a large area, containing a population of about 600 souls, has long been felt to be a serious evil, aggravated by the limited sittings at Chetwynd, as well as by its distance, and that of the Parish of Edgmond Church, from the homesteads of several of the parishioners.  This state of comparative spiritual destitution which was temporarily remedied by the erection of a small chapel and by the ministrations of a resident clergyman, whose stipend was furnished by Mr J C B Borough of Chetwynd Park, is now entirely ended by the erection of a structure in the Early English style of architecture, containing upwards of 200 free sittings and supplied with schools and residence for the incumbent, and another residence for a schoolmaster.  The difficulties which have been met, step by step, and the strong determination which has been necessary to surmount them, are known only to a few and it must be very gratifying to Mr J C B Borough the promoter of the good work, to see that his zealous labours have led to a practical result, which will prove an incalculable blessing for years to come.  The Church and Vicarage were out of the contractor's hands on Monday last, and the schools and master's house will be ready in November.  The estimated cost of the buildings is about œ3,724 and we trust that we shall be able in out next issue to announce the present deficit of œ370 as existing no longer.  The district embraces 253 inhabitants of­Chetwynd, 153 of Cheswardine and 151 of Edgmond whose Rector, the Rev. J.C. Pigott, provides an endowment of œ15 per annum, and the Patron of Chetwynd providing an annual sum of œ105 during the lifetime of the Rev. T Whateley and a further increase upon his retiring from the living of Chetwynd.  The Clergy were invited to meet the Bishop at the Vicarage at 1030am and about 20-27 wearing gowns attended the summons. 

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...The office of consecration used on the occasion was that usually adopted in the Diocese of Lichfield.  Prayers were read by the Incumbent, Rev. S Clarke, the Lessons by Rev. Harding, of Cheswardine, and Rev. A Burn of Kinnersley and Rural Dean, and the Gospel by Archdeacon Allen.  The Bishop gave a very good address.  The ceremony of consecration was proceeded with, after which the Holy Communion was administered.  The musical service was very steady and effective, and the collection amounted to œ64 10s4d'

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...on December 29th, 1856 the Queen signed the order making Sambrook a Parish out of Edgmond, Chetwynd and Cheswardine.  As I have already said, the Rev. S Clarke was the first Vicar.  Mr Cordwell and Mr Bevan first Churchwardens, and Mr H Bates, Clerk.  The first to be baptised, Mary Ann Minshall of Howle.  The first couple to be married, Thomas Woodcock and Rebecca Caroline Barnet of Sambrook, and the first to be buried, Mary Sambrook of Pickstock, aged 90.  (This grave is on the second row of graves at the West end of the Church, exactly opposite the clock.)

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...I have been asked to record where the tithes came from that are, or were, payable to the vicar of the Parish.  There were 215 acres in Sambrook, 72 acres in Howle, 89 acres at Pixley, Hinstock, and 62 acres in Pickstock.'