St Mary's Church, Aston Brook

St Mary’s Church, Aston Brook
52°29′47.3″N 1°53′6.4″W / 52.496472°N 1.885111°WCoordinates: 52°29′47.3″N 1°53′6.4″W / 52.496472°N 1.885111°W
Location Aston
Country England
Denomination Church of England
History
Dedication St Mary the Virgin
Architecture
Architect(s) James Murray
Completed 1863
Demolished 1970s

St Mary's Church, Aston Brook is a former parish church in the Church of England in Birmingham.[1]

History

The church was built in 1863 to designs of the architect James Murray. It was consecrated by Henry Philpott, Bishop of Worcester, on Thursday 10 December 1863.[2] In 1864, a parish was formed out of the parishes of St. Peter and St. Paul, Aston, St Silas’ Church, Lozells, and St Matthew's Church, Duddeston.

The church opened a school for Girls and Infants in 1868.[3]

The tower was added in 1882.

The church is noted for having a rugby club which played a match against a team from Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth. For the team from Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel, this was their first match as Aston Villa Football Club. As a condition of the match, the Villa side had to agree to play the first half under rugby rules and the second half under football rules.[4]

The church was demolished in the 1970s.

Organ

The church was equipped with a two manual pipe organ by Norman and Beard. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[5] but is no longer present.

References

  1. The Buildings of England. Warwickshire. Nikolaus Pevsner. Penguin Books. ISBN 0140710310 p.149
  2. "St Mary’s Church, Aston Brook". Birmingham Daily Post (Birmingham). 11 December 1863.
  3. "Opening of St Mary’s New School, Aston Brook". Birmingham Journal (Birmingham). 18 April 1868.
  4. Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy. The essential history of Aston Villa. Headline book publishing (2002). ISBN 0-7553-1140-X.
  5. "NPOR D02625". National Pipe Organ Register. British Institute of Organ Studies.