| Church of Saint Edmund | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Church |
| Location | Dudley, England |
| Completed | c. 1724 |
| Awards and prizes | Grade II* listed building |
The Church of Saint Edmund is a parish church on Castle Street in Dudley, West Midlands, England.
It is known locally as "Bottom Church", as opposed to St Thomas's parish church in High Street which is known as "Top Church".
It dates back to AD970.[1] In 1190, it was noted as being within the possession of Dudley Priory. In 1646, during the English Civil War, Colonel Leveson ordered the demolition of the church. As a result, residents in the parish congregated at St. Thomas's Church in Dudley, which was repaired.[2]
St. Edmund's Church was subsequently rebuilt and was completed circa 1724.[3] The reconstruction of the church was paid for by brothers Richard and George Bradley and by subscriptions from the parishioners.[4] It was built of red brick with stone dressings and consisted of a chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled west tower. The interior of the church was altered in 1864, although the church still retains its early pews, pulpit and panelled gallery.[3]
On September 14, 1949, the building received Grade B listed status. This has since been upgraded to Grade II* listed status.[3]
A school for children aged 5–11 years was built near to the church on Birmingham Street during the 19th century, but this closed in 1970 when it merged with St John's School on Kates Hill to form the Church of England Primary School of St Edmund and St John, located at a new site on Hillcrest Road. The school building survives, however, and has been used by Muslims since 1978 as Dudley Central Mosque.