St Mary Magdalene, Battlefield

Standing almost alone in open Shropshire countryside, this large and dignified church was built on the site of the ferocious Battle of Shrewsbury, which took place in 1403. The church was built a few years later and remains a quiet, some would say melancholic, memorial to those who died and were buried there thought to be about 1,600 people. On the outside east wall is a statue of Henry IV, victor of the battle, and inside, on the roof beams, are the shields of the knights who fought with him. A service is still held each year in July to commemorate the anniversary of the battle. Much of the church we see today is the result of an extensive restoration in the 1860s, by a distinguished local architect S Pountney Smith, who saved the church from ruin. Though he kept the original shape, tower and walls, the magnificent hammerbeam roof, the reredos, and all the fittings and furniture were installed by him. He was also responsible for installing the fine stained glass typical of the 1860s. Especially memorable is the east window with its wonderful palette of colours. One particular treasure is the Piet, carved in oak, showing the Virgin Mary holding Christ’s body. It is a remarkable and moving piece dating from the 15th century and thought to have been brought here from another church.