St. Lawrence, Little Wenlock
For over 800 years a church building has
stood on the site of the present-day St. Lawrence, for in the
Forest Roll of 1180 there is a mention of Richard, Clerk of Parva
Wenlock. The list of incumbents of the parish stretches
back to middle of the 13th century.
The building has a complicated history of
alteration and extension, the spiritual needs of a growing
village giving us today a church of varying and interesting
architectural design.
The tower would appear to be the oldest part
of the building, for the date 1667 on the battlement seems to
refer not to the building of the tower but simply to repairs made
at that date. A window, now blocked up, on the west side
has a distinctly Norman appearance. The tower houses a peal
of five bells hung for full-circle change ringing from the ground
floor, and a chiming clock mechanism dated 1891.
The Lady Chapel has very old walls; set in
the floor is an intriguingly tiny, cast-iron tombstone dated
1611. The original church was the area which, until 1996
contained the font, organ and vestry; this has a collar-braced
roof, probably of 16th century construction. The area which
is now used as the main part of the church was built about 1865
when the church was enlarged to cope with the larger population
of the parish.
The East window showing the Ascension of
Christ is of striking design and colour. Hanging in the
church is the original sketch for the window. Other notable
contents of the building are the hatchment, showing the Royal
Arms of George IV, the Smitheman and Edwards memorial plaques,
and the East window of the Lady Chapel.
The Parish records date back to 1689, and they have recently been transcribed for computer access, the original registers being deposited in the Shropshire Records Office in Shrewsbury.
Today the parish church is not just an
historic building, it is the home of a lively congregation.
St. Lawrence has always enjoyed the support of its
parishioners; today that support is growing. There is a
service of worship on virtually every Sunday in the year when we
celebrate Holy Communion, have a less formal "Praise &
Prayer for All" or worship in the more traditional
form of Morning Prayer. The church is also used from time to
time for other acts of worship.
On occasion there will be a gathering together
with great joy as the village receives a newly-born child into
the church at a service of Holy Baptism. A number of times
each year the bells will ring out as bride and bridegroom are
joined together in Holy Matrimony. The church is there for
final journeys too, as a bell tolls for a funeral service.
St. Lawrence stands proud in the village as
a sign and symbol of the presence of God’s love in our
lives. The church is there all the time; it is there when
it is wanted, it is there when our busy lives lead us sometimes to forget
it.
St. Lawrence stands to serve us all.
| DAY | TIME | SERVICE |
| 1st & 3rd Sundays | 9.30 a.m. | Holy Communion |
| 2nd Sunday | 9.30 a.m. | Morning Prayer |
| 4th Sunday | 9.30 a.m. | Praise & Prayer for All |
| 5th Sunday | As Announced | |
