1. An interactive History of Shareshill Church Shareshill Church is a Grade 2 * Listed building on account of its 13 th century tower (remaining from an earlier church), and a rare Georgian nave with curved sanctuary added on around 260 years ago. Interior clock bellstower HistoryWhere to find us next

2. History The Havergals Click on pictures home next back

3. The tower is built of a type of sandstone that is very soft and has needed a lot of expensive restoration. The spiral stairs inside the tower were designed for people who were shorter and thinner than most of us today. When a window was put into the vestry at the base of the tower, the bottom section of the stairs had to be removed. They were replaced with the present external stairs. The Tower Judging from the size of the steps they also had much smaller feet! home next back

4. The six church bells were last recast in 1976 by the renowned foundry of John Taylor of Loughborough. They are rung every week. The bells can also be "played" by just one person using hammers attached to ropes. The hammer ropes are tugged as if playing a giant, remote-controlled xylophone! Having just 6 notes requires some tunes to be altered slightly. The Bells home next back

5. The primitive weight-driven clock chimes on the hour. Despite it's crude construction it keeps remarkably good time. This cable and weight powers the strike mechanism. This tube and the rod inside it turn the hands of the clock. This drum carries the cable and weight that drives the time mechanism. The Clock home next back

6. That is why only the top parts appear at the back of the balcony. They have now been re-covered. The painting above appears to be a quotation from the Old Testament book of Micah, chapter 6 verse 8. In July 2002 during the removal of panelling to treat rot at the back of the balcony, parts of two wall paintings were discovered. They pre-date the building of the balcony. Hidden Secrets home next back

7. The Havergals Her most famous hymn, "Take my life and let it be" has been adopted as the special hymn of Havergal CE Primary School, Shareshill. Shareshill Church's main musical claim to fame is hymn writer Frances Ridley Havergal. William Henry Havergal home next back

8. The Havergals William Henry Havergal, father of Frances, was Perpetual Curate at Shareshill during part of the 1800s. His name is on the charities board in the church. Frances Ridley Havergal home next back

9. This document from the Havergal’s time lists the fees levied for various services. For example, “Churching of a woman on a Sunday” (following childbirth) cost 10d payable to the incumbent and 8d payable to the warden. It adds at the bottom: DOUBLE BURIAL FEES TO BE PAID BY NON-RESIDENTS. Church Fees home next back

10. 20 th Century sanitation – at last! A team of volunteers, plus a digger & driver on free loan from Finning Ltd., dug a trench from churchyard to the road. Then they laid water and sewerage pipes ready for connection to the mains. home next back

11. 20 th Century sanitation – at last! A “new” toilet block was purchased. It was collected on Paul Adams’ 1955 Albion lorry. Trees were trimmed… … then Michael Purcell, supported by a few brave volunteers, manoeuvred Home Farm’s high lift loader past a couple of tombs …….. … and put it in place. home next back

12. The interior Looking West Painted Panels home next back Looking East

13. The Painted Panels 1 The panels were designed by Gilbert Barrows Sully on April 6th 1903. At the time he was based in Chiswick as an architect's designer. Painted Panels 2 home next back

14. The Painted Panels 2 We know this because we were recently contacted by his great grandson, Pete Hambrook of Sully’s Framing. Painted Panels 1 home next back

15. Where to find us homeback