History of Aston Parish Church

Welcome to Aston Parish Church… err.. I mean welcome to Ss Peter and Paul Church, Aston-juxta-Birmingham.

The church’ complicated name has its origins in 100 years of dispute as Aston fought against being taken over by Birmingham. In 1911 Aston was absorbed by Birmingham, but there are still reminders of the 19th century municipal strife.

There has been a church on the site in all three millennia. The tower, built in 1480 and the huge Victorian church structure make a clear statement about the wealth of the area until the Holte estate was divided up and sold off in 1817. Until 200 years ago, Aston was a more important place than Birmingham. The history of the church cannot be separated from the history of Aston and local people.

Within the church you can see evidence of many major events in English history; the wars of the Roses, the Reformation, and the First and Second World Wars to name a few. However, two events of significant interest are recorded:

Domesday Book: In 1086 there was a church with a full time priest. The area was valued at 100 shillings… the nearby village of Birmingham had a value of 20 shillings.

English Civil War: Six soldiers were buried in the churchyard, killed in the siege of Aston Hall, their graves unmarked. Damage caused by a Parliamentary cannon ball is still visible at nearby Aston Hall.

The church contains some fine monuments associated with local families. The oldest is the tomb of Ralph Arden, who died 1360) from whom William Shakespeare was a direct descendant. The Erdington family tomb is mid fifteenth century. There are some fine Holte family (owners of Aston Hall) memorials. In addition, there are some beatiful stained glass windows, some of which date as late as the beginning of the 1930s.

The ancient parish of Aston was vast. It’s extremities included Sparkbrook, Perry Common, Lozells and Water Orton ( the latter of which is in Warwickshire).

Purchase the guide

A 32 page illustrated History and Guide provides a detailed guide to the present building and also some of the history of Aston. Send a £5 cheque payable to “The Parish of Aston and Nechells” for a copy (inclusive of postage and packing) to Aston Vicarage, Sycamore Road, Aston Birmingham B6 5UH, England.

History of St James Church

The first St James Church was built as a daughter church of Aston Parish Church in 1890, and then became a parish church in its own right in 1906.

A modern multi-purpose church building replaced the first church in 1981. The main hall has a Sanctuary that may be screened off, allowing the nave area to be used for community use. The new church also includes purpose built accommodation for the St James Advice Centre which has since ceased operation due to lack of funding.

Following fire damage in 2001, the church underwent some major repairs before it was fully available for the congregation and the community once again.

History of St Matthew’s Church

The church of St Matthews Duddeston was built in 1840 in the simple Gothic style. The architect was William Thomas (1799 – 1860). The construction was financed by the Birmingham Church Building Society. When opened it was referred to as St Matthew’s in the wilderness because the area was rural but urbanising quickly. St Matthew’s was built as a daughter church of Aston Parish Church. However, the “daughter”, built to seat 1,300 people, was much bigger than the “mother” and became a parish church in its own right in 1842.

In 1866 galleries were added by J Chatwin that increased the capacity to 1300. A major restoration was undertaken in 1883. A photograph of 1900 shows a tall steeple that has long gone. In 1951 a united benefice was established with St Anne’s Duddeston, St Catherine’s Nechells, and St Lawrence all churches that had originally been given parish status from the original larger St Matthew’s parish. At this time a vicarage and church hall were constructed within the church grounds.

Slum clearances began in the 1930s and were completed in the 1960’s. In addition the Great Lister Street shopping area was removed and Great Lister Street replaced by the Nechells Parkway duel carriageway that was constructed to the north of the church. Associated with these changes the area became depopulated and adjacent parishes of St Clements Nechells, and St James the Less Ashted were amalgamated into St Matthews. All of the church buildings associated with these parishes were disposed off except for the redundant site of St James (church bombed) which is a closed graveyard and public open space.

By the late 1980s it was evident that the church building had structural problems and was too large for current requirements. An imaginative scheme costing over £1 million was completed in 1994 that installed office accommodation at the west end of the building with the remaining 50% of the worship area at the East end. The worship area can seat 250 and is an attractive airy space with modern furniture, lighting and fitments, with a gallery, ancillary rooms and kitchen. A new welcoming entrance foyer was built between the Church and Church Hall, creating a new church entrance at the East end of the building. The front part of the church was rededicated for church use in 1994. The original West entrance serves the office accommodation.