Situated opposite the town Post Office,the Church of St. Mary the Virgin is the only complete Medieval Church still standing in Shrewsbury.
Now under the care of The Churches Conservation Trust with help from the Friends of St. Mary's, the Church remains consecrated and is still used for occasional services and alsooffers the shopper a peaceful retreat at it's frequent coffee mornings.
History
Although the exact date
of the founding of St. Mary's is unknown, around 963, it was declared a "royal
peculiar", a church directly responsible to the crown rather than the
diocese of Lichfield, by
King Edgar. In the mid 12th century, the Norman's erected a new church in
a cruciform shape using local red sandstone. Major extensions were made between
1190 and 1210 when the north and south aisles was added along with more sophisticated
carvings. About 1360, the Trinity Chapel was built to replace the demolished
small south chapel. In the 1470's the central tower was demolished, high level
clerestory windows introduced and the west tower was raised using whiter Grinshill
stone and the spire was built. At 68m (222feet) this is reputedly the third
tallest spire in England.
Under the direction of the vicar, Archdeacon Lloyd, the east end was modernised in the 1860's: heating installed; floor tiles by Godwin, Maws and Minton laid; the choir stalls rebuilt. It is reported that a violent storm in 1894 caused some 12m (40 feet) of the spire to crash through the nave roof but the majority of the carved ceiling was able to be saved and re-used.
The tower
Of the ten bells in the tower, eight were cast in 1775 and two added in 1811
(recast 1911). The bell-frame was mainly a 17th century construction. The
tower clock dates from 1879.
The windows
The stained glass windows in the Church are outstanding. The Jesse window
east of the chancel was brought from the old St. Chad's Church, Shrewsbury
following the collapse of the original building in 1788. This window dates
from around 1340 and may have originally been made for a Fransciscan friary
in the town. Much of the original stained glass of St. Mary's was destroyed
or removed in the 16th and 17th centuries. Rev. W. G. Rowland, the vicar from
1828-1851, then bought and installed most of the stained glass seen in the
church today. In the north and south aisles, the Trier glass was made in 1479.
The Belgian glass contained in the middle two windows on the southern side
of Trinity Chapel was made about 1535.
Reference: Peter Williams "The Church of St. Mary the Virgin"; pamphlet undated (available in Church)
