St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury

St Mary’s in Shrewsbury is another of that great town’s ancient churches. Now officially redundant, it remains open to the curious and inquisitive. Despite no longer being used for public worship, it is in possession of a number of gaudy and highly decorated ‘high church’ altars from which Holy Communion was once administered.

Alongside these ritualist furnishings, the list of ministers which I am always curious to locate and consult, stated that, between Reverends Fisher and Fowler...

From 1652 to 1662 no priest

Had its authors had greater regard for scripture, they might have written:

From circa AD30 to present time, no priest

‘Priests’ were abolished by the Cross, for the veil in the temple was rent in two, and Christ’s own priestly office bade folk enter God's presence. Nevertheless, the high church list of clergy has deliberately omitted the minster who served in that ten-year period of triumphant puritanism, implying that the church was rudderless and preacherless. Not so. His name was Francis Tallents, of presbyterian bent who was appointed in 1652 and ejected for his principles in 1662. That the authorities at St Mary’s should not see fit to mark his ministry and concluding sacrifice is a travesty. He had been invited to become the minister by the mayor, recorder and four aldermen of Shrewsbury, having been recommended by Richard Baxter for his skills and moderate Calvinism. When the monarchy was restored in 1660, several petitions were made to keep him in his role, such was the respect in which he was held, but the 1662 Act of Uniformity sealed his fate as he refused to agree to the terms of that dreadful law. Having lost his job, he remained, amazingly, a member of the congregation, and under its flags he was buried in 1708.

The current church, even in its redundant state, might not recognise his ministry and labours, but the great God whom he served, most certainly does.