St Mary the Virgin's Church, Madresfield

This ‘modern’ looking church is the 3rd known to have been built to serve Madresfield. The first church was late Norman, built c.1200, but by the 1850s was beyond repair, so a new church was commissioned by John, 3rd Earl Beauchamp, to replace it. The 2nd church was designed by Pugin the Younger, but unfortunately its foundations were unsound, and that in turn had to be demolished.

Even so, Berrows Worcester Journal in 1860 had some glowing remarks to make of it:

...the edifice has been reconstructed in very good taste, and for the population of the parish, which does not exceed 200... is sufficiently commodious: the church is in the Decorated style, has a handsome East window of modern stained glass, a pulpit and a reredos of carved Caen stone, and an exquisitely carved octagonal font.

The present church was completely rebuilt, on a site about 300m from the old; however many of the original materials have been reused, including the font and reredos. It was the gift of Henry, 5th Earl Beauchamp, known as the ‘Peasants' Earl’, because of kindnesses he showed to his tenants, and designed by Frederick Preedy, so typically it contains some fine stained glass. It was consecreated on 10 Nov 1867.

(Information provided by Rosemary Lockie)