Ketley: Church

CHURCH.

A chapel of ease at Redlake was completed in 1838 (fn. 1) at the 2nd duke of Sutherland's expense (fn. 2) and licensed for baptisms and burials. (fn. 3) The living was then a curacy, filled at the duke's nomination. Chapel and graveyard were consecrated in 1839. (fn. 4) Owing to objections from the vicar of Wellington a licence for marriages was not granted until 1841. (fn. 5) In 1879 the 3rd duke conveyed the site and fabric to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (fn. 6) and in 1880 surrendered the patronage to the bishop, (fn. 7) with whom it remained in 1981. (fn. 8) A district chapelry was assigned in 1880, (fn. 9) comprising the part of Ketley township in Wellington parish and a small part of Hadley township. (fn. 10) The incumbents were thereafter titular vicars. From 1969 the cure was served by a priest-in-charge. (fn. 11) In 1975 part of the parish was transferred to the new parish of Central Telford. (fn. 12) The priest-in-charge appointed in 1978 was already priest-in-charge (from 1980 vicar) (fn. 13) of Oakengates. (fn. 14) In 1983 Overdale was returned to Ketley parish from that of Central Telford. (fn. 15)

In 1838 the 2nd duke endowed the curacy with £1,000. (fn. 16) Endowments from various sources, totalling £2,600, were added in 1844 and 1847. (fn. 17) By 1851 the living was worth £131 a year gross; £20 came from pew rents, and there was glebe yielding £20 a year. (fn. 18) Between 1861 and 1881 the Ecclesiastical Commissioners augmented the living by £125 a year. (fn. 19) In 1880 they also assigned annual tithe rent charge of £62 gross (fn. 20) out of the former endowment of Wellington prebend. (fn. 21) In 1884 the vicar's gross income of £326 included £154 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, £61 from Queen Anne's Bounty, and £21 from 10 a. of glebe. (fn. 22)

By 1843 the curate was living in a house belonging to the duke. (fn. 23) In 1881 a brick vicarage house designed by Edward Haycock was completed (fn. 24) on a site given by the 3rd duke. (fn. 25) It was occupied by the incumbent (fn. 26) until the priestin-charge of Oakengates took charge of Ketley in 1978, and was then sold. (fn. 27)

In 1839 the 2nd duke, attending a service incognito, found the sermon fair and unexaggerated and the singing reminiscent of the Kirk. (fn. 28) In 1843 there were two Sunday services and one each Wednesday evening. Communion was given eight times a year and there were c. 50 communicants. (fn. 29) In 1851 adult attendances averaged 130 in the morning and 115 in the evening. (fn. 30) Between 1878 and 1921 there were six incumbents. None remained more than 13 years and all but one resigned. (fn. 31)

The church of ST. MARY (fn. 32) was designed by James Trubshaw, (fn. 33) mainly in the Gothic style. It is built of dressed sandstone and consists of chancel and nave with transepts and west tower and west gallery. In 1915 there was one bell of 1836. (fn. 34)