There has been a chapel on the site from the beginning of the fourteenth century, but by the mid-nineteenth century it was in poor repair and was replaced with the present building in 1857. Two stones embedded in the south porch record the names of Misses Paget and Thompson, benefactors of the new building. It was enlarged in 1894, when the east window was installed, at the expense of George Hartley of Wheaton Aston Hall, who also donated the screen and the pulpit. The building is in the Early English style, but is unusual in that the interior walls are plastered the Victorians generally removed plaster from the walls, and seldom applied it; here they did so.
The east window shows the crucifixion, with the Virgin Mary and St. John at the foot of the cross. Above their heads are medallions of angels holding the sun and the moon. This beautiful, medieval style window is the work of Charles Eamer Kempe, the eminent Victorian master of stained glass. The top light shows his Wheatsheaf Coat of Arms, so taken because the art of making sheaves is known as kemping, but also particularly appropriate to the village whose name records the reputation of the area as good land for growing wheat.
The church originally had a gallery at the rear, but this was taken down at the end of the nineteenth century. It is intended to reinstate the gallery as part of present plans to reorder the church. The new development whilst maintaining links with past generations will create a building that will not only accommodate different types of worship services, but also be a focal point for the community throughout the week.
The village is fairly large with a population of about 2300.
Information taken from "Lapley, Stretton & Wheaton Aston" by Michael Albutt, ©1991
Historic records of St Mary, Wheaton Aston have been deposited at
Staffordshire Record Office, where they are available for consultation by
the public. These do not currently include any parish registers. Records
of the churchwardens include papers relating to the rebuilding of the
church, 1855-1857, and general accounts, 1857-1943.
A catalogue of these records is available in "Gateway to the Past" - the online catalogue of the
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service. The Archive Service's
website provides further information on
planning a visit to the office to consult records, should you wish to do so.
