St Mary

south chapel of C14

C12 lower part with thin pilaster buttresses in the north and south walls.

The west lancet windows appear to be C13 insertions,

the segmental-headed three-light west window is early C16.

There is a stone memorial set into the south wall of the tower which is probably C18, and also fragments of carved masonry.

Late Norman style doorway to C19 south porch.

The early C13 south aisle was partly rebuilt in the C14 as a chapel.

It has one early C16 window

some containing C15 coloured glass.

The chancel is mid C13 but has undergone renewal by Blomfield, including the east window which has stained glass by C.E. Kempe

In the side walls are lancet windows, probably C13 date, although the roll mouldings have been renewed.

The north wall of the north aisle retains some C12 fabric but was largely rebuilt in the C16.

INTERIOR: The Norman tower arch is round

It retains three grisaille roundels of painted glass.

The nave was originally aisle-less, but aisles were added between c.1180 and c.1200.

The east and west responds appear to have been remodelled in c.1200 with triple shafts

It also has circular columns but here the capitals are circular and carved into upright crockets, showing more Early English character.

The nave has a late C15 roof with arched braces and rests on decorative stone corbels, some of which take the form of grotesque heads.

The south chapel retains some medieval floor tiles with heraldic designs and a mid C14 trefoil-headed piscina with stone shelf.

The east window is late C19 and contains stained glass by Kempe.

The reredos has a carving of the Last Supper.

The late C19 pointed chancel arch, which is C14 in character, springs from clustered columns with moulded capitals and the trussed-rafter roof with collar braces resting on brackets, is of the same date.

FITTINGS: C14 wall painting on south wall of south chapel

C15 embroidered altar frontal in case on north wall of north aisle

and commemorative brass of 1616 to John Grove, founder of the Alveley Church School, in west end of nave.

There are numerous wall monuments of the C18 and C19 including a hanging monument with Corinthian side columns and entablature of 1723.

Stone font incised with Greek baptismal palindrome

and stone pulpit and carved timber lectern, both with thick foliage bands, all probably contemporary with late C19 restoration.

HISTORY: Dedicated to St Mary, the Virgin and constructed from 1140.

The lower part of the tower, nave and aisles are principally of Norman construction.

The chancel is mid C13

was heavily restored in the late C19, whilst the south aisle was remodelled for a chantry chapel in 1353 by Sir Thomas Astley of Coton Hall.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a fine example of an English parish church with a high survival of Norman and medieval fabric that is complemented by the late C19 restoration work by the eminent church architect Sir A.W. Blomfield.

The Norman work includes the lower part of the tower, the nave and the arcades

the later building campaigns, principally in the C13

C14, are of a similar quality.

Considerable additional interest is found in the variety of fittings and monuments in the church, particularly the C14 wall painting, the late C15 altar frontal, the painted reredos of 1887 by C.E. Kempe, and a number of C18 and C19 memorial plaques.