Welcome to the Village of Enville
In the County of Staffordshire

St Mary's Church

Inside Church

St Mary The Virgin Church

REGULAR CHURCH SERVICES

8.00 am Holy Communion - Every Sunday
11.00 am Holy Communion - 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday
11.00 am Pot Luck - 2nd and 4th Sunday
6.30 pm Evensong - Every Sunday

Contact: Reverend Richard Clarkson, Enville Vicar: 01384 872556 or Church Warden: 01384 872312

The Church is an ancient building, dedicated to St Mary and is situated on a spur of land above the present village which is thought to be the original village site.

It contains many ancient monuments, one of which has two recumbent effigies of Thomas Grey and Anne, his wife, who died in 1559, and near it, under an arch, lies the figure of a priest. In 1762, a stone coffin, inscribed 'Rogerus de Morf' was dug up under the west end, and there is an estate in the parish which still retains the name Morfe.

The benefice is a rectory, the Rev Cornelius Jesson is patron and incumbent, and is also rector of St Bride's, Netherwent, Monmouthshire.

The register of the parish church of St Mary commences in 1627. The original registers for the periods 1627-1949, 1627-1986, 1627-1943 and 1824-1897 are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.

Bishops Transcripts, 1660-1879 (with many gaps) are deposited at Lichfield Record Office.

St Mary's is a red sandstone church comprising a chancel with a N organ room; a nave with N and S aisles and a N porch; and a tower, incorporating a S porch, at the W end of the S aisle. The four-bay nave arcades are carried on cylindrical piers of coursed ashlar; the S arcade 12thc. and the N 13thc. but heavily restored. The tower does not respect the S arcade; i.e. its N wall blocks the W bay completely.

It was restored and enlarged by George Gilbert Scott in 1871-74. His work included the rebuilding of the chancel (including the organ room), the insertion of new aisle windows on both sides, the erection of new porches and the rebuilding of the tower. This has an elaborate crown based on Gloucester Cathedral or Dundry. The tower was restored in 1990-92, following falls of masonry onto the aisle roof. Romanesque sculpture is found in the S nave arcade and on carved panels and corbels set into the spandrels above pier 1, on the nave and aisle sides.

In the CHUCHYARDS AWARDS SCHEME 2013 and 2015 we were presented with GOLD AWARD CERTIFICATES.

The maintenace teams are managed by Stephen Morley, Church Warden, and thanks to the hard work and dedication of all volunteers the churchyard has been kept neat and tidy and access to graves greatly improved over the last few years.

BELL RINGING AT ST. MARY’S CHURCH ENVILLE

We have eight bells mounted in two tiers.  Five bottom and three above. 30/40 feet above the ringing floor, which is a “long draft”. Each has individual inscriptions and ornamental markings.

All bell towers quote the weight of the tenor bell which gives an insight to the pitch and sound. The weights are quoted in cwts, qts and lbs, i.e. hundred weights, quarters and pounds. Enville’s tenor has been dated to 1616 and the weight is 14cwt 3qts and 3lbs, the strike note being F. The treble is 5cwt 0qts 1lb – strike note being E. The total weight is 67cwts 0 qts 26lbs.

Now the ringing of the bells bit. It is not difficult. It is not strenuous. It takes a little while to handle but once confidence kicks in it is infectious and most enjoyable and gives a feeling of satisfaction once mastered. You are part of a team (bellringers are part of a band). At Enville we do try to be humorous but at the same time serious. Discipline is most important too. The youngest pupil I have taught was 13 years old (the same age as myself when I learnt to ring). The oldest was 60+ years old and went on to ring until 83. You can say that technique is the key.

There are many times and reasons when the bells are being rung. For example for a church service, a celebration, a wedding, a funeral, for Armistice, for Christmas or to ring in the New Year.

Intrigued? Give it a go.

We at Enville ring on Sunday mornings from 10.30 – 11. 00am. Practice night is Tuesday at 8.00pm. Other times for learning can be arranged.

I hope these facts don’t sound too boring – it certainly isn’t that. If you are interested or curious, please give me a ring on 01384 873191, or just call in at the tower – it would be great to see you.

Fred Hodges

Tower Master/Captain