Other
An ever-changing list of all the other items we offer. Explore and enjoy!
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Wedding Information
We are very pleased that you are thinking of getting married at St Mary's. It is a beautiful church and a popular location for weddings, so we have plenty of experience! We aim to make your wedding a truly happy and memorable occasion. You are probably not sure of how to proceed in terms of booking a date and considering all the options you have in preparing for this very special occasion. Use the links to help you to make your initial booking as well as planning for the big day.
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Funerals
Funerals are normally arranged by Funeral Directors who will make all bookings and organise everything for you. If you wish to have a burial in a new grave in the churchyard at St Mary's, the deceased person must have been resident in the Parish of Old Swinford. Click here to see a list of roads which are part of the Parish. The Diocese of Worcester has issued guidelines for the erection of memorials in the churchyard.
Please click here for details. To find out costs for funeral services click here.
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Family History
If you are interested in researching your family through our Parish Records you will find that most of them, except for the most recent, are kept in the Diocesan Archive in Worcester. If you wish to access them you can do so by calling or writing: County Hall Record Office
Spetchley Road
Worcester WR5 2NP
Tel: 01905 766352 In 1989/90 a survey of the graveyard was carried out by The Family History Society in association with the Birmingham and Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry. This survey resulted in the production of a detailed map of the graveyard, with inscriptions and a description of all the graves and including the memorials inside the church. A copy of this document is held in the Parish Office.
Click here to contact the Parish Administrator. It should be noted that the graveyard is very large and overgrown. It is always advisable to seek help before attempting to find a grave and the following points should be noted: 1. Not all graves are marked with headstones. 2. Many inscriptions are badly worn and/or illegible. 3. Many graves have been damaged or have fallen over time. 4. In the past, the layout of burials was random with graves often being cut across or through other plots. 5. The churchyard here is very ancient with burials dating back over 900 years. 6. The burial registers do not list where graves were sited. If you wish to visit the graveyard you are most welcome to do so. Strong footwear is recommended - be prepared for a bit of a scramble!
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Groups
There are many different groups and activities taking place here at St Mary's. New members are always welcome so feel free to contact the organisers to find out more.
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Children and Families
We have a wide range of activities for parents, carers, children and young people.
We also have strong associations with the following local schools and colleges. You can click on the links below to access their websites: The Rector regularly visits schools within the parish to take assemblies and we host several services during the year including carol services at Christmas, Charter and Founders' Day services and Leavers' services. Use the links to find out more about the groups and activities which take place here.PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL OUR YOUTH WORKERS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE CRB (CRIMINAL RECORDS BUREAU). FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT OUR CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER, MRS. FIONA MASON ON 01562 887655
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Study and Prayer Groups
There are several different study and prayer groups which meet through out the year at different venues. Some of these are in-house and based around Old Swinford, but we also have strong links with other churches in Stourbridge and we often hold courses in conjunction with them. New members are always welcome. Please see individual courses and groups for details of how to get involved.
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Committees
There are many different Committees here, all of which contribute to improving the life of the Church, the Community or the wider world. We raise money for charities, organise social events and try to reach outlocally, nationally and globally to people who need help and support. It is eay to be involved either in a large or a small way. Often people say 'I'd like to help, but I don't see how I can make a difference.' God teaches us that even the smallest among us can make a difference. If you would like to make a difference, then perhaps you may like to be involved in one of these committees.
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The Coach House
The Coach House Arts and Crafts Community Centre was developed in 1995 as a restoration project from the old rectory coachhouse. It provides a workshop/studio and classroom to support a wide range of courses, with emphasis on activities for people with special needs. It is also used by a variety of community and church groups as a venue for meetings, classes and informal leisure activities. There is a lift for disabled access to all rooms. To book the Coach House or find out more about the classes, please contact Marie Hendrie on 01384 895798 or 0785 808 6935.
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Church Hall
The Church Hall adjacent to St Mary's plays host to church events throughout the year, including the Christmas Market on the first Saturday in December and other social occasions. It is available to hire for private parties, although we do not let it for children's parties. If you wish to enquire about booking the Church Hall, please click here to contact the Parish Office.
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Helping out
We are always on the look out for new helpers for a huge range of tasks which allow for the smooth running of the church. If you wish to be involved in any of them, please click here to contact the Parish Office.
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Disabled Facilities
The following facilities for the disabled have been installed at St Mary's: - Toilet for the disabled
- Wheelchair access through the west door of the church
- Handrails
- Loop system (please tune your hearing aid to 'T')
- Parking for the disabled on the Rectory driveway, accessible to the church path via a ramp
- Most services available in large print (please ask the sidespeople for a copy)
If you are a disabled person visiting the church and require any additional information, please click here to contact the Parish Office.
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History of St Mary's
St Mary's is the mother church of Stourbridge, a place of worship that has stood on this same site since at least the tenth century. The oldest surviving part of the building is the tower, built in the late 1400s. From the sixteenth century until 1982, it was graced by a spire. The tower supports eight bells, some cast in the seventeenth century. To learn more about the bells click here. For most of its early history, St Mary's was the only place of worship for the people of Stourbridge, Lye and Wollescote. St Thomas's was opened for the inhabitants of Stourbridge in 1735, but it was not until the nineteenth century that most of the remaining districts had their own buildings in which to worship. To find out more about other churches in the area click here. NB Thanks must go to Mr Nigel Perry for his excellent booklet 'The Story of St Mary's Church and the Parish of Old Swinford' from which much of this information is obtained. Copies of the booklet are on sale in the church
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St Mary's Parish
The Parish of St Mary's includes the district of Old Swinford, the southern part of central Stourbridge, parts of Wollescote and Pedmore and some roads in Norton. The parish boundary extends for some ten miles and borders the parishes of St Peter's Pedmore, St Andrew's Wollescote, St Thomas's Stourbridge, Christ Church The Lye and St Michael's Norton.
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