The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-12-10 00:00:00

CONSECRATION OF ST. MARK'S CHURCH

AT STAMBER MILL.

On Tuesday last this church was consecrated
by the Lord Bishop of Worcester, and opened
for Divine worship. There were also present
the Hon. and Rev. W. H. Lyttelton, the Hon.
V. Lyttelton, the Revs. H. T. Hill (Prebendary
of Hereford), D. Robertson, C. H. Crauftird, G.
D. Doyle, H. Sherrard, T. C. Dixon, L.L.D.
The sermon was preached by the Rev. T. Hill
(grandson of Mr. Hill, who built the Lye
Church), who took his text from the Ist Chro-
nicles, xxix., c. v. 3, "I have set my affections
to the House of Clod." The preacher, during
his dikuourse. made earnest appeals to those
present to assist in relieving the vicar to pay off
the debt. At the conclusion of the sermon a
collection was made, which amounted to more
than .h4O.

The church is a neat little Gothic edifice, of
red brick, with stone dressings, and stands on
an elevated site on the road leading from Stour.
bridge to the Lye, to the church of which latter
it is virtually a chapel of ease. One of the fore-
most men to exert himself for the improvement
of the Lye, was a Mr. Hill, whose name is still
a household word in the place, and who more
than a half century ago, when instances of simi-
lar benefactions were very rare, built and en-
dowed the Lye Church, and provided a parson-
age for the incumbent. He gave about .tO,OOO
in pursuance of this object. The church, how-
ever, was not consecrated, and the gentleman
who officiated as minister took it into his head,
with the lapse of years, that the church and
parsonage were his personal possession, and if
the patrons for the time being had not interfered
something of an untoward kind would probably
have occurred. Steps were taken for getting the
church consecrated, now rather more than thirty
years a _o, and gri at was the apprehension felt as
to bow the populace would behave towards the
bishop, for the " Lye Wasters were still a pe-
culiar people, and as it was the first time a (14

filet° bishop had appeared in the place precau
tions were thought necessary lest any commo-
tion should arise, or any insult be offered to his
lordship. The anxiety, however, proved ill-
founded, and the bishop came and went away in
safety. The reasonableness of the fears enter-
tained about the pugnacious temperament of the
populace was shown not long afterwards by an
attack they made upon a troop of cavalry pas.
sing through the Lye, on their way to quell sonic
disturbances at Birmingham ; but, happily, this
state of thinge has given place to a better. The
Rev. J. 13romley was the first to entertain the
idea of building a second church in the place.
He was cut off by a sudden death, and his suc-
cessor, the Rev. D. Robertson, has persevered,
and has at length seen it realised. The total
cost has been £3,000, of which, after taking into
account the collection and some special dona•
tions on Tuesday, some £3OO has still to be
raised. Mr. F. T. Rufford has given 10 per cent.
on all the subscriptions, as well as the main por-
tion of the site. The church has been enriched
with a handsome memorial window to the Rev.
J. Bromley, erected by his friends, and by a
number of other gifts. There are sittings for
400 adults in the church, and all of them are to
he free and unappropriated. At present there
is no endowment, but at the next vacancy in the
living of Oldawinford, £5O a year will be set
apart from the present income of that living to-
wards the endowment of St. Mark's. The
church has been built by Mr. Horton, of Brier-
ley Hill, from the designs of Mr. Thomas
Smith.