The 19th century saw many changes to the church of St. Mary. A gallery was erected in 1805, with its entrance through the tower (this has long since been sealed up).
Seating for the village children ran side-ways from the tower entrance, and the central seating in the nave was allotted to the villagers, with each household sitting in their given section.
In 1822 the
Reverend F.D.Perkins enlarged the gallery and had a small vestry
built onto the north aisle,using the existing door as the entrance. |
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He also had a large stained glass window made for the great chancel window by Pemberton, a well known stained glass artist of the time. It consisted of full length figures of Christ, St. Peter and St. John on pedestals; above them was a rich Gothic decoration.
The work was based on a painting
by Raphael and was paid for by private contributions.
It was known as 'The Pemberton Window'. after its maker, and was installed
in 1822.
An entry in the churchwarden's book, dated 1828, stated that Pemberton was paid for a window the sum of 10s 5d. As this was obviously not the price of the east window it may have been for some repairs to it, unless Pemberton made another smaller window, though this is not recorded.
The Reverend Frederick Perkins had the church entirely re-pewed in 1829, so increasing the seating accommodation from 130 to 296.
The Reverend Perkins was typical of his time, a man of strong will and vigour. Originally from Dawlish in Devon, Perkins came to Sowe in 1817. On his arrival he discovered the villagers enjoying a bout of bull-baiting on the village green and, to his disgust, found the instigator of the baiting to be the curate. After much trouble Perkins finally got the curate removed, but not before he had smashed the windows of the vicarage.
Being a paragon of virtue Perkins served the district as a J.P. for many years, once finding himself on trial over a petty argument with other J.P.'s of the Ansty Bench.
Perkins died in 1856. An inquest, held on his body at The Shoulder of Mutton Inn which once stood in Hall Lane, found that his death was due to 'an accumulation of fat around the heart' - no doubt due to the fact that clergymen of the time were renowned for their great appetites and love of good food.
Although reverend Perkins was St. Mary's longest serving vicar little remains within the church to testify to this fact.
