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St Mary

Edstaston

Shropshire

Late C12, east wall largely rebuilt c.1300, west end truncated and rebuilt c.1723 and whole restored 1882-3 by G. H. Birch.

Architectural Features

plain tile roof with coped verges.

Nave: south side: two C15 windows, eastern with panel tracery, western with hoodmould and grotesque head-stops

C12 south doorway has 4 orders of shafts and leaf capitals, 2 embellished with carvings of human head and mythical beast

the arches have chevron and crenellated decoration, hoodmould carved with dogtooth decoration has head-stops and carved head to apex.

North side: 4 large buttresses, 2 to west early C19 and easternmost incorporating footings of a medieval buttress

second buttress from east stepped and larger than others probably C17

one C15 window with panel tracery

grotesque head- stops between second and third buttresses from east and a C12 window with crocket capitals and chevron decoration to arch, between first and second buttresses from east.

C12 doorway between western buttresses has one order of shafts with elaborate carved capitals and a zig-zag decoration enclosing a round

outer arch has elaborate foliage decoration with intertwined animal and human figures, supported on tiny carved corbelled responds

hoodmould with a type of leaf motif and a carved head to apex.

Chancel: south side: C15 window with panel tracery to west

3-light C14 window to east.

Priest's doorway set in chamfered projection to west has inturned upward leaves to capitals, ringed nook- shafts, chevron decoration to outer arch and dogtooth carving to inner arch

C19 door reuses some C12 ironwork.

C12 pilaster buttress cut by C15 window.

North side: divided into 2 bays by original pilaster buttress, east bay with C12 window having narrow round-headed inner arch

one order of nook-shafts with crocket capitals, west bay with C15 window having panel tracery and grotesque head-stops.

East wall: rebuilt above C12 string course c.1300 has contemporary angle buttresses and a short chamfered buttress beneath window.

Interior: moulded string course remains at cill level of single-splay C12 windows to both nave and chancel and also at the level of the springing of the window arches to nave.

King- post roof to nave of c.1718-23 in 4 bays has 2 tiers of curved windbraces and date 1723 carved on western tie beam

Considerable traces of medieval and post-medieval murals of several different dates on nave and chancel north and south walls

sham painted ashlar masonry and consecration crosses to sedile beneath C14 window in chancel

on wall to east of nave south-east window: other subjects include C13 Adoration of the Magi (north wall of nave), C15 St.Christopher (above north doorway) and St. John the Baptist (above south doorway).

Restored C14 aumbry and piscina, in east wall of chancel.

Simple Jacobean pulpit and C17 oak chest in vestry

possibly C12 font bowl at north-west corner of church.

Other fittings and furnishings, including present font, late C19 or later.

Fragments of C15 stained glass (including part of a bearded figure) in top part of nave south-west window

Monuments: plain C18 and C19 wall tablets to members of local families in both nave and chancel

A chantry was established here in late C15, probably by Richard III.