THE UNITED BENEFICE OF ASTLEY, CLIVE, GRINSHILL AND HADNALL

The four parishes are situated approximately four to six miles North of Shrewsbury in

the Deanery of Wem and Whitchurch and the archdeaconry of Shropshire. The A49

runs through Hadnall with Astley to the east and Clive and Grinshill to the north-west.

The villages are predominantly rural with scattered communities comprising outlying

farms and hamlets. The four parishes enjoy cordial relationships with their respective

parish councils.

Although the parishes have their own individual identities and traditions they work

together and have much in common. They have all met their parish shares (but see

below for Astley).

Benefice-wide activities are:

Messy Church

Messy Church lunch

Bible study

Lent courses

Advent carol service

Palm Sunday walk

Remembrance Sunday

Benefice service on the 5th Sunday of the month

Holy Communion during the interregnum.

Paid part-time administrator.

Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals – 2012 to 2017

Weddings Baptisms Funerals

2013 15 26 16

2014 21 20 25

2015 17 24 19

2016 25 21 21

2017 23* 11 10**

Total 101 102 91

*7 done – 16 left

** to June 20th 2017

THE APPOINTMENT

The new incumbent should:

have a good understanding of, and sympathy for a rural ministry and way of

life;

be able to relate to and communicate effectively with all age groups and

sections of a diverse community;

be approachable, able to listen and be prepared to discuss, communicate and

motivate;

endeavour to make full use of the lay resources within the four parishes and

especially our Licenced Reader;

see the need for development, with imagination and flexibility, if our rural

churches are to thrive;

desire to be involved in two Church of England schools working alongside the

Licenced Reader.

have a good sense of humour!

ASTLEY (www.astleyparish.org)

Overview

Astley Parish, comprising 210 households and population of some 450 people,

straddles the busy A 53 and includes the settlements of Astley (a Conservation

Area), Upper Astley, Bings Heath, Ebrey Wood, Upper Battlefield and scattered,

outlying dwellings and farmsteads within the parish boundary (see map).

There are 53 houses which make up the core of Astley village, 21 of which were

added as a new development (Astley Court) on the SE edge in the early 1990s.

There is a well-equipped village hall (Astley) - used mainly for parish council

meetings, regular whist drives and quiz nights, occasional fund-raising events and

Oswestry Sinfonia perform a fund-raising concert

private functions - a pub, a residential home (Upper Astley), a new respite home

(Bings Heath) and a young people’s residential centre (Brightlee – on the A 53). The

nearest schools (primary) and shops are in neighbouring parishes.

The Church

The 12thc St Mary’s Church, listed Grade II*, was refurbished in Victorian times when

the tower and vestry were added, and is now in good condition (last QI in 2016); it

has a congregation capacity of some 90 worshippers and the NW corner is now a

creche area for children and for serving refreshments. Two services per week are

held generally throughout the year. Sunday services vary throughout the month from

HC (BCP - 6), HC (CW - 11), a popular Family Service with refreshments (alternating

with Hadnall - 24), and Evensong (BCP - 8). Morning Prayer is held on Tuesdays (3).

Fifth-Sunday, four-parish combined services (35) are rotated throughout the

Benefice (average attendance figures for 2017 in brackets).

Congregation numbers remain fairly static while the average age continues to rise. In

general, a few children attend only the Family and Combined-Benefice Service, or

Mothering Sunday, and are usually from the other parishes. Christmas and Easter

services are generally well attended, Harvest Festival less so. For the residential

home residents the Lay Reader from Hadnall takes a monthly service, and a few

residents occasionally attend church services. The PCC has 5 members (excluding

the Chairman), three of whom have served for many years; there are no

churchwardens. The Electoral Roll stands at 26 parishioners.

The church is open on most days of the year and many visitors comment favourably

on the obvious loving care being taken of the church especially when the ladies have

created their splendid floral arrangements. The churchyard is about 2/3 full and well

maintained. Information on services and events is available to all parishioners via the

bi-monthly Benefact magazine, delivered to virtually all households, and on line via

www.achurchnearyou.com or www.astleyparish.org

For the past 25 years our resident organist has nurtured a choir made up of Astley

residents and some from neighbouring parishes to lead the singing at main festival

services. At its full strength of around 20 the choir has been able to perform an

Easter oratorio on Good Friday at St Mary’s for the past 18 years! Hymns at services

throughout the year are usually organ-accompanied.

Our church is currently only just financially solvent. However, despite fund-raising

activities and a regular- giving scheme, which has been in place for about 12 years,

income is now not meeting day-to-day expenses (although we have so far paid our

Family Purse in full), and with a forecast substantial General Account deficit the

Diocesan Board of Finance has agreed to abate our contribution for 2017.

Fund-raising is increasingly

challenging with a very small

number of individuals trying

hard to keep (usually the

HM the Queen’s 90th birthday tea party

same) donors and supporters on side. We have, fortunately, been able through

generous legacies, donations and grants to fund much needed repairs and

restoration, as well as the replacement of our altar linen and pew cushions, which

have enabled us to maintain the fabric to a high standard without recourse to the

General Account.

As with most churches we rely on a willing band of volunteers to perform routine

maintenance, flower arranging, church & brass cleaning, clock winding and

maintenance, and general churchyard upkeep.

The Community

As a community Astley is a diverse social

mix. Farms and small businesses are

spread throughout the parish while in the

hamlets, there is a high proportion of

retired residents and a significant number

of elderly single people, some in poor

health, and few children. While most

regard the church as indispensable

(Astley Parish Council designated the

church a “Community Asset” and

continues to subsidize the cost of

churchyard grass cutting) only a small

percentage attend services regularly

although more will support church fund-raising events, especially the biennial

Gardens Open day which brings the community together. The majority of younger,

working families are a discrete community living in Astley Court whose contemporary

lifestyle is not altogether conducive to full village integration. Apart from the village

hall activities already mentioned, there is an active Ladies’ Club (some 12 members)

which meets monthly.

Looking Ahead

It is fair to say that despite our ongoing programme of work to keep the fabric of St

Mary’s sound we are suffering from evangelistic inertia and have no clear sense of

mission. In the absence of younger people in the village willing to engage in church

activity we need the right person as Priest in Charge to help inject new blood into our

membership to ensure our long-term sustainability.

CLIVE (clivechurch.co.uk)

Clive is a compact and friendly village situated on the west side of Grinshill Hill with a

population of about 600 of whom 58 are on the electoral role. A small proportion of

people work locally but the majority are commuters and retired people.

The surrounding area is dominated by the spire of the Victorian church which, whilst

dating back to the 12th century, was fully restored in 1887. The spire, was added in

1894. The church is of outstanding architectural quality, both inside and out, with a

recently refurbished ring of six bells – the heaviest in the county – which are

regularly rung. It is also blessed with an original Henry Willis organ. A thriving group

of volunteers look after and maintain an award-winning God’s Acre.

A mixture of services is provided – Eucharist, Evening Prayer and Family Service,

and vestments are available for sacraments. The congregation is about 22 – 25.

Our lovely church is also popular for weddings (a very good wedding venue nearby

also helps!) there have been 14 this year.

There is an excellent church school, enthusiastically run and the priest in charge is a

governor. Weekly assembly is taken by the priest and special festival school services

held in the church are regularly attended by parishioners.

There is a thriving local shop and post office and a very active village hall with

adjoining playing fields. Activities within the community include, bowling club,

Scottish Dancing, ‘friendly bridge’, Photography, Clive Trippers (coach visits) a

toddler group, hand bell ringers, a very active WI, and an Art Class.

The local area is also served by a first-class medical centre with dispensary.

GRINSHILL

The village

Grinshill is approximately 1.5 miles north of Hadnall. The heart of the village,

including the church, lies at the foot of Grinshill Hill, most of which is a conservation

area and a well-known beauty spot popular with walkers and climbers.

Detached from the heart and lying to the east is another part of the village containing

both old and more modern properties near the still working quarry. There is a further

grouping at Sansaw Heath outside the gates of Sansaw Hall.

The village relies on its neighbour Clive for its primary school, post office, shop and

medical practice. Most children go on to Wem for their secondary education.

There is a population of approximately 250 residents, including some 30 children of

various ages. There are now four holiday cottages available for letting.

During the past 20 years 2 converted barns have been completed and one detached

house built; 2 dwellings should be completed before the end of the year. It is

possible that there may be some in-fill development in the village in future.

The village hall, situated near the church, was modernised some twenty years ago

with the help of a lottery grant and is well used and run by an enthusiastic

committee. The Acton Reynauld Cricket Club has its ground within the village and is

used regularly during the summer months.

All Saints

The church was rebuilt in 1839 to the design of Shrewsbury architect John Carline,

using the foundations of an earlier chapel (c1140). Local red sandstone was used

which has a tendency to spall. The interior, which is light and airy, was altered in

1880 to accommodate the increased population. The tower bell and clock have

undergone extensive restoration. The church is in overall good repair and the interior

was redecorated in 2013.

The attached churchyard, which extends to about 1 acre is now used for burials by

both Grinshill and Clive parishes; negotiations are currently in hand (with the Sansaw

estate) to extend the existing area.

The church is open during daylight hours and many favourable comments have been

written in the visitor’s book!

The fellowship

A small (average 15) faithful and extremely friendly congregation has preferred the

Book of Common Prayer services; Common Worship services are used elsewhere in

the benefice. As a member of the benefice Grinshill shares in the rotation of services

including a united benefice service on the fifth Sunday of the month.

Our annual candle-lit Carol Service is well attended, as are other celebratory

services.

The church holds an annual gift day and organises fund-raising activities during the

year.

Since 2010, Grinshill parish, together with two other parishes in the benefice have

supported the charity Compassion.

HADNALL

Hadnall has a population of approximately 750 and the parish church of St Mary

Magdalene is on the A49. The road runs through the village with a new development

being built and there are scattered farms and cottages. There is an

Industrial/Business Complex on the outskirts of the village and a well-equipped and

successful Village Hall which is used by various groups during the week, including

pre-school sessions every morning. There is also a thriving village shop and post

office, a pub and two caravan sites, one with a popular restaurant. There is a C of E

Primary school with good links to the church.

The church of St Mary Magdalene is a starred Grade II listed building and the Nave

is believed to date from 1140 to 1150 with the tower and the chancel being Victorian

additions. The listed Sexton's Hut has recently been upgraded to house a disabled

toilet and in addition, an integrated kitchen unit has been built into the tower area

with mains water and drainage.

This upgrade has enabled the church to be more widely used for Fund Raising and

other functions such as Coffee Mornings, Concerts etc. These are well supported by

both non-church goers as well as regular congregation members.

Social lunch at the Bothey

The church also contains War Memorials and a Monument dedicated to Lord

Rowland Hill who served at Waterloo. He and, it is thought his sisters, is buried in a

sealed crypt beneath the tower. The fabric is in good order. The churchyard is well

maintained by volunteers and is still in use.

We have an average weekly congregation of 22/3 and from the parish there is

generally a tremendous amount of goodwill towards the church. At present all

Sunday services take place in turn once a month, 8.00 am Holy Communion (BCP),

10.00 am Family Services (Alternated with Astley), 11.15 Holy Communion

(Common Worship) and Evening Prayer (BCP) at 6.30 pm. There is also a weekly

Morning Prayer service held on Saturday at 8.30 am.