St Mary’s Church, Shrawardine

St Mary’s is Shrawardine’s Grade II* listed church, near the remains of Shrawardine Castle. Its history includes a medieval church, demolition during the Civil War and rebuilding in two stages. The present building incorporates some twelfth-century fabric. Historic England ↗.

Medieval origins

A church is documented here by 1213. Eyton’s Antiquities of Shropshire records King John’s presentation of Robert de Cerne on 10 November that year, citing the Patent Rolls. This is evidence of the church’s existence, rather than a date for its construction. Eyton, pp. 99–100 ↗; Historic England ↗.

Civil War destruction and rebuilding

A parish-register account, reproduced in Ecclesiastical History of Shropshire, connects the demolition with the royal garrison at the castle. It says that protecting the garrison was the stated reason for pulling down the church, but questions that justification. Published register account, p. 275 ↗.

The account dates the chancel’s demolition to 24 February 1644–45, retaining the double-year form used in the published text, and the demolition of the church to 8 June 1645. It also records that the parish worshipped in the castle stable during the interruption. These details come from the published register quotation, rather than an inspection of the original register. Published register account ↗.

The same account records rebuilding in 1649, paid for through voluntary contributions. Historic England identifies this as the rebuilding of the nave and records the reuse of stone from the demolished chancel. The chancel was rebuilt in 1722, a date recorded on the east gable. Published register account ↗; Historic England ↗.

The building and its surviving features

The church has red sandstone walls, slate roofs and a timber-clad bellcote at its west end. Inside, Historic England identifies a twelfth-century stone font with a scalloped bowl. The west gallery includes a seventeenth-century beam, an eighteenth-century front and nineteenth-century stairs. Historic England ↗.

Later work needs a little care in its dating. Historic England records restoration and the addition of the vestry in 1892–93. The parish history dates the restoration to 1892 but places the vestry’s construction in 1930. The sources therefore disagree about when the vestry was added; neither date is treated here as settled. Historic England ↗; parish history ↗.

Visiting St Mary’s

The parish’s visitor information, checked on 18 September 2026, says the church is normally open at weekends from the beginning of April to the end of September. Visits at other times can be arranged by contacting the parish. Check St Mary’s on A Church Near You ↗ for current arrangements, services and contact details before making a special journey.

For more about the surrounding village, see the guides to Shrawardine Castle and Millennium Green.