St Mary Magdalene's Church, Battlefield
Encyclopedia
St Mary Magdalene's Church, Battlefield, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Battlefield
, Shropshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
.
in 1403 between Henry IV
and Henry "Hotspur" Percy, and is probably built on a mass burial pit. In 1406 Roger Ive, the rector of Albright Hussey
, the parish in which the battle was fought, gained a licence from Richard Hussey, the lord of the manor
, to acquire the site on which to build the church. Its initial purpose was to act as a chantry
chapel to sing masses
for the souls of those killed in the battle. The church was completed in 1409, and in the following year its purpose was changed; it was re-founded by a royal charter
as a college of priests. The charter established a community of six chaplain
s and a master to pray daily for the souls of the king, Richard Hussey and his wife, and for those killed in the battle. More buildings were constructed to house the college. Building of the tower of the church started in the mid 1440s, but it was not completed until later in the century under the mastership of Adam Grafton.
In 1547 the Chantries Act was passed and in the following year Battlefield College was closed. The church became the parish church
of Albright Hussey. The college buildings were disused and their fabric taken for other purposes. The church continued to be used but its condition deteriorated. The roof was repaired in 1749, but later the nave
roof completely collapsed. In the 18th century the nave was abandoned and the chancel
was restored in neoclassical
style, with four Doric
columns forming a square. In 1638 the ownership of the church had passed from the Hussey family to the Corbet
family. In the 19th century Lady Brinkman, a member of the Corbet family, commissioned the architect S. Pountney Smith to restore the church and to build a mortuary chapel. This was carried out between 1860 and 1862. The church was declared redundant in 1982 and became vested
in the Churches Conservation Trust.
with roofs of tiles and Welsh slate
s. Its plan consists of a simple rectangle, with a five-bay
chancel and a four-bay nave of equal width. There is a west tower and a vestry (the former mortuary chapel) to the northeast. The tower is almost as wide as the nave, and is in two stages. It has diagonal buttress
es and a square southeast stair turret
. The name of Adam Grafton is inscribed high on the east side. Also on the tower are the arms
of Sir John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury
. In the lower stage is a west door above which is a two-light window. The upper stage has paired bell openings on each side. At the summit is a quatrefoil frieze
, an embattled
parapet
, and pinnacle
s at the corners. In the body of the church the bays are separated by full-height buttresses. The tracery
in most of the windows is in Decorated style, inserted as part of the restoration, but some windows have retained their original tracery. The east window is in Perpendicular style and has five lights. Above this window in a niche
is a statue of Henry IV. The parapet of the nave is plain, and that of the chancel is an openwork quatrefoil. Around the church are gargoyle
s representing mythical beasts
and soldiers. The vestry is battlemented and on its wall is the carved crest
of the Corbet family (two crow
s).
by Pountney Smith, which is supported on the original stone corbel
s. One of the corbels is carved with a Green Man
. The roof is decorated with carved shields acting as bosses
, pendants, and traceried panelling
. Some of the shields are those of knights who fought in the battle with Henry IV. Between the nave and chancel is a timber screen with traceried panels and an ogee
central arch. This was also inserted at the restoration. The church is paved with encaustic tile
s made by Maw of Ironbridge
. In the southeast part of the chancel is a triple sedilia
, a piscina
, and a blocked doorway that formerly led to the chaplains' quarters. The doorway on the north of the chancel leads to the vestry (the former Corbet mortuary). The reredos
was designed by Pountney Smith, and contains high relief sculptures depicting the Nativity
, the Crucifixion
, and the Resurrection
. The font
and the pulpit
were also designed by Pountney Smith. The pulpit is in stone with a white marble
panel depicting Moses
striking the rock to produce water. The top of the font is octagonal and is carved with angels. The ends of the wooden pews are carved with birds and animals. In the chancel is an oak pietà
dating from the middle of the 15th century which was moved from the church at Albright Hussey. In the vestry is stained glass from a number of sources, including original glass from the church, possibly dating from about 1434–45, and some early 16th-century French glass brought here from Normandy
. In the body of the church is glass by Lavers and Barraud
dating from 1861–63. The east window in the chancel contains a depiction of Mary Magdalene
, and in the north and south windows are the twelve apostles. The west window of the tower depicts Christ and John the Baptist
. Also in the church is a wall memorial to the Corbet family under three ornate arches, hatchment
s, and Victorian gas fitments.
and Art Deco
carving. At the entrance to the churchyard is a lychgate
which was moved here from Upton Magna
in 1861, but dates from an earlier period.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the village of Battlefield
Battlefield, Shropshire
Battlefield is a village north of Shrewsbury town centre in Shropshire, England.The village is today split between three parishes - Shrewsbury, Astley and Pimhill.-Battle of Shrewsbury:...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
.
History
The church is built on the site of the Battle of ShrewsburyBattle of Shrewsbury
The Battle of Shrewsbury was a battle fought on 21 July 1403, waged between an army led by the Lancastrian King, Henry IV, and a rebel army led by Henry "Hotspur" Percy from Northumberland....
in 1403 between Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
and Henry "Hotspur" Percy, and is probably built on a mass burial pit. In 1406 Roger Ive, the rector of Albright Hussey
Albrighton, Shrewsbury and Atcham
Albrighton is a small village to the north of Shrewsbury, on the A528 Shrewsbury-Ellesmere road.It is first mentioned in the Domesday Book, as Etbritone . Albright Hussey was once part of the same manor, and indeed shared the same name originally.It lies in the parish of Pimhill.- External links :*...
, the parish in which the battle was fought, gained a licence from Richard Hussey, the lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
, to acquire the site on which to build the church. Its initial purpose was to act as a chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
chapel to sing masses
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
for the souls of those killed in the battle. The church was completed in 1409, and in the following year its purpose was changed; it was re-founded by a royal charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
as a college of priests. The charter established a community of six chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
s and a master to pray daily for the souls of the king, Richard Hussey and his wife, and for those killed in the battle. More buildings were constructed to house the college. Building of the tower of the church started in the mid 1440s, but it was not completed until later in the century under the mastership of Adam Grafton.
In 1547 the Chantries Act was passed and in the following year Battlefield College was closed. The church became the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of Albright Hussey. The college buildings were disused and their fabric taken for other purposes. The church continued to be used but its condition deteriorated. The roof was repaired in 1749, but later the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
roof completely collapsed. In the 18th century the nave was abandoned and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was restored in neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style, with four Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
columns forming a square. In 1638 the ownership of the church had passed from the Hussey family to the Corbet
Corbet Baronets
There have been six Baronetcies created for members of the Corbet family, four in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. All creations are extinct...
family. In the 19th century Lady Brinkman, a member of the Corbet family, commissioned the architect S. Pountney Smith to restore the church and to build a mortuary chapel. This was carried out between 1860 and 1862. The church was declared redundant in 1982 and became vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Churches Conservation Trust.
Exterior
The church is built in limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with roofs of tiles and Welsh slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
s. Its plan consists of a simple rectangle, with a five-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
chancel and a four-bay nave of equal width. There is a west tower and a vestry (the former mortuary chapel) to the northeast. The tower is almost as wide as the nave, and is in two stages. It has diagonal buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es and a square southeast stair turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
. The name of Adam Grafton is inscribed high on the east side. Also on the tower are the arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Sir John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, 3rd Earl of Waterford, 9th Baron Talbot, KG was an English nobleman. He was the son of John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury and Elizabeth Butler....
. In the lower stage is a west door above which is a two-light window. The upper stage has paired bell openings on each side. At the summit is a quatrefoil frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
, an embattled
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
, and pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s at the corners. In the body of the church the bays are separated by full-height buttresses. The tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
in most of the windows is in Decorated style, inserted as part of the restoration, but some windows have retained their original tracery. The east window is in Perpendicular style and has five lights. Above this window in a niche
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
is a statue of Henry IV. The parapet of the nave is plain, and that of the chancel is an openwork quatrefoil. Around the church are gargoyle
Gargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
s representing mythical beasts
Legendary creature
A legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature.-Origin:Some mythical creatures have their origin in traditional mythology and have been believed to be real creatures, for example the dragon, the unicorn, and griffin...
and soldiers. The vestry is battlemented and on its wall is the carved crest
Crest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
of the Corbet family (two crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
s).
Interior
There is no structural division between the nave and the chancel. The roof is a hammerbeamHammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof, in architecture, is the name given to an open timber roof, typical of English Gothic architecture, using short beams projecting from the wall.- Design :...
by Pountney Smith, which is supported on the original stone corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
s. One of the corbels is carved with a Green Man
Green Man
A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit...
. The roof is decorated with carved shields acting as bosses
Boss (architecture)
In architecture, a boss is a knob or protrusion of stone or wood.Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. In Gothic architecture, such roof bosses are often intricately carved with foliage, heraldic devices or other decorations...
, pendants, and traceried panelling
Panelling
Panelling is a wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials....
. Some of the shields are those of knights who fought in the battle with Henry IV. Between the nave and chancel is a timber screen with traceried panels and an ogee
Ogee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
central arch. This was also inserted at the restoration. The church is paved with encaustic tile
Encaustic tile
Encaustic tiles are ceramic tiles in which the pattern or figure on the surface is not a product of the glaze but of different colors of clay. They are usually of two colors but a tile may be composed of as many as six. The pattern is inlaid into the body of the tile, so that the design remains as...
s made by Maw of Ironbridge
Ironbridge
Ironbridge is a settlement on the River Severn, at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge, in Shropshire, England. It lies in the civil parish of The Gorge, in the borough of Telford and Wrekin...
. In the southeast part of the chancel is a triple sedilia
Sedilia
Sedilia , in ecclesiastical architecture, is the term used to describe stone seats, usually to be found on the south side of an altar, often in the chancel, for the use of the officiating priests...
, a piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
, and a blocked doorway that formerly led to the chaplains' quarters. The doorway on the north of the chancel leads to the vestry (the former Corbet mortuary). The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
was designed by Pountney Smith, and contains high relief sculptures depicting the Nativity
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
, the Crucifixion
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
, and the Resurrection
Resurrection of Jesus
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
and the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
were also designed by Pountney Smith. The pulpit is in stone with a white marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
panel depicting Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
striking the rock to produce water. The top of the font is octagonal and is carved with angels. The ends of the wooden pews are carved with birds and animals. In the chancel is an oak pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
dating from the middle of the 15th century which was moved from the church at Albright Hussey. In the vestry is stained glass from a number of sources, including original glass from the church, possibly dating from about 1434–45, and some early 16th-century French glass brought here from Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. In the body of the church is glass by Lavers and Barraud
Lavers, Barraud and Westlake
Lavers, Barraud and Westlake were an English firm that produced stained glass windows from 1855 until 1921. They were part of the Gothic Revival movement that affected English church architecture in the 19th century.-History:...
dating from 1861–63. The east window in the chancel contains a depiction of Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
, and in the north and south windows are the twelve apostles. The west window of the tower depicts Christ and John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
. Also in the church is a wall memorial to the Corbet family under three ornate arches, hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
s, and Victorian gas fitments.
External features
On the southeast of the church are remains of the foundations of college buildings. Further away, to the south, are the footings of a former round tower. Some of the gravestones in the churchyard contain VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
carving. At the entrance to the churchyard is a lychgate
Lychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, or as two separate words lych gate, is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.-Name:...
which was moved here from Upton Magna
Upton Magna
Upton Magna is a village in Shropshire, England.Magna is latin meaning "great". Therefore the translation of Upton Magna is "Great Upton".Nearby are the villages of Uffington, Rodington, Withington and the wooded Haughmond Hill....
in 1861, but dates from an earlier period.