St George's Church
St George’s Church is a Grade ll* listed building.
It is believed that there has been a place of worship on the site of St George’s Church since Saxon times. The lower part of the tower may well have been built for defence before the castle.
The oldest feature of all is the yew tree a little distance from the north side of the church. At one time this had a girth of 33' 7" (10.24 m) which has been calculated to mean that it was here when the very first place of Christian worship was built on this site, probably in Saxon times. There is mention of the church in documents housed in Clun Museum being damaged during the civil war and a national appeal for funds to repair it.
Records also show that one Saturday evening in 1771 a group of 85 parishioners discussed urgent repairs which were needed to the church. Tithes were increased to raise the necessary funds but it was not until 100 years later that these repairs were tackled. The church (apart from the tower) was extensively rebuilt in 1877 by the famous Victorian architect, G.E. Street. The Norman columns in the nave were carefully restored and one can see the new matching stones alongside worn original ones.
In the north aisle a plaster ceiling was taken down to reveal the splendid fourteenth century timbers and 22 carved angels. Where necessary, the lovely carved angels had their wings renewed.
The south aisle, which had been as wide as the present north aisle (one can see the boundary markers in the churchyard), was taken away and a new smaller aisle built on earlier foundations. This reduced the height of the roof and allowed ancient clerestory windows to be reopened.
A vestry at the east end of the north aisle was removed to make way for the present Lady Chapel, panelled with carved portions of the old box pews. The panelling was nearly but not quite finished: near the door from the Lady Chapel to the chancel the carving falters and only the craftsman's pencil design is to be seen. On the east wall is a brass commemorating Sir Robert Howard, Lord of the Manor of Clun, who died in 1653 at Hall of the Forest.
Above the old vestry, covered in whitewash, was a beautiful fifteenth-century wooden canopy which renovated and now hangs over the high altar in the chancel.
A new chancel was built to Mr Street's design. The reredos and the east window are a memorial to Charles Warner, the vicar under whose guidance and inspiration the restoration was undertaken. As a tribute to this devoted and humble man his face was painted as the face of St Owini, St Chad's faithful servant, who is portrayed at the top right-hand-corner of the east window, holding his master's cloak.
The pulpit has some fine Jacobean carving. The font is ancient, standing on a more recent base and has interesting ancient apotropaic markings on its west face. The font cover which now stands in the chancel was the gift of Archdeacon Oldham in 1914.
The tower, the lower part of which may have been built for defence before the Normans built the castle on the other side of the river, has housed a set of bells since the sixteenth century. In 1549 there were four bells, in 1668 five; in 1681 six; in 1914 eight and now, since 1994, there are ten.
On the outside of the church the west door of the tower has incised on it 'Isaac Morgan Thomas Powis Churchwardens Anno 1666' and dates from the restoration of the church which took place after extensive damage done during the Civil War. Similarly the small door on the north side of the church has, carved in the stonework 'HB RB I658'. Next to this is a fine fourteenth-century tomb recess, but who it was intended to commemorate is not known.
Over the decades much restoration work has been carried out and in 2019 further refurbishment took place when a much needed refreshment area and toilet were added.
The lychgate which stands at the north entrance to the churchyard is much-travelled. It was originally built in 1723, taken down in 1841 to make way for iron gates, rescued by a curate and re-erected at the gateway to Hand Causeway, returning to its original position about 1881, and restored in 1956. Several of the original timbers are still in place. It is grade ll listed.
In 1891 the north part of the churchyard was closed for burials, although this closure notice was largely ignored until 2021. The management of the closed part of the churchyard is now the responsibility of the Town Council.
For current activities at St George’s please see ‘Community – Groups and Societies ‘ or visit St George’s Clun page on A Church Near You – www.achurchnearyou.com
