St Michael

slate roofs to nave and aisles with fishscale tiles to chancel, coped verges.

Tower: in three stages with chamfered plinth and stepped diagonal buttresses, pyramidal roof and brass weathercock

decayed C13 figure sculpture (probably not in situ) to string course of first stage on south and west

Nave: only tops of north and south walls (probably late C12)are visible above early C13 lean-to aisles, southern partly rebuilt with flying buttresses of 1871

Gabled north-east porch and vestry have round arched doorway and window with raised keystones, two C13 carved heads inserted to apexes of gables.

Good late C15 arch-braced collar-beam roof in 12 bays with V-struts from collars and 3 tiers of cusped windbraces, upper 2 forming quatrefoil patterns, similar roofs to aisles

C18 brass chandelier hangs from eastern tie beam of nave roof.

Triple-chamfered C14 west doorway but tall pointed chancel arch is of 1871.

Font of medieval but indeterminate date was probably originally a stoup: octagonal stepped pedestal with 4 semi-circular lobes and angle brackets to circular basin.

SO2698 : Chirbury, St. Michael's Church: The medieval font (date unknown)

© Michael Garlick

C13 aumbry and piscina in south aisle with some-glazed medieval floor tiles (probably re-set) nearby.

Stained glass: south aisle, east window an Annunciation by Kempe with 2 windows to west by W. E. Tower, dated 1918 and 1932 respectively

SO2698 : Chirbury, St. Michael's Church: Stained glass window (detail)

© Michael Garlick

chancel, north and south windows by Powell Monuments: plain late 018 to mid-C19 wall tablets in chancel: momento mori to Richard Loid , skull in circular recess above coat-of-arms, to south of chancel arch with a tablet to Revd.

wall memorials to John Davies and George Roberts flank chancel arch.

C18 funerary hatchments in tower, which has an elaborate wall memorial to John Prichard , fluted columns with Corinthian capitals and shaped broken pediment with coat-of-arms

skull and cross bone motifs to sides with crudely carved angel below inscription.

The Augustinian priory, of which the church is the principal survival, was originally established at Snead, approximately 6 miles to south-east, in late C12 but had moved to Chirbury before 1227.