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The Parish Church of Much Wenlock
Nov. 30th, 2011 06:00 pmAnd now it's back to Much Wenlock, and a trip to the Parish Church of The Holy Trinity.
Lying outwith the precincts of the priory, the parish church once fulfilled a role as the place of worship for a nunnery. This community of nuns had been established there by Milburga, grand-daughter of Penda, King of Mercia. Milburga was later canonised - according to Pinnell, she ruled over the community for 30 years, and was allegedly responsible for a number of miracles, which including bringing a dead boy back to life, banishing geese that were ravaging the fields, and causing her veil to float on a sunbeam (Pinnell, J. Wenlock Priory, Shropshire English Heritage, 1999).
The relics of St Milburga were originally held within the parish church, but they were uncovered near the altar in 1101 and then transferred to nearby Wenlock Priory. Rumours of miracles associated with them meant that Wenlock became a popular destination with pilgrims (just as it has become a popular destination with heritage tourists today!).
This association with St Milburga meant that the Normans lavished attention on the church, and in fact thoroughly remodelled it in the mid-12th century. Traces of the original Saxon building still survive, though evidence of a Norman makeover is clear, and the building was extended southwards in the late medieval period.
Here's a view into the nave and chancel through the west door, which has a lovely Romanesque arch surviving, complete with dog-toothed mouldings:-
The tower was a later addition, built about 60 years after the remodelling of the nave and chancel.
Tomorrow, we'll explore the interior, which is, as usual, full of detail and complication. Information comes from a rather helpful leaflet provided in the church, which gives a detailed phased building plan that assists the inquisitive buildings detective no end as they struggle to get to grips with the place...
Lying outwith the precincts of the priory, the parish church once fulfilled a role as the place of worship for a nunnery. This community of nuns had been established there by Milburga, grand-daughter of Penda, King of Mercia. Milburga was later canonised - according to Pinnell, she ruled over the community for 30 years, and was allegedly responsible for a number of miracles, which including bringing a dead boy back to life, banishing geese that were ravaging the fields, and causing her veil to float on a sunbeam (Pinnell, J. Wenlock Priory, Shropshire English Heritage, 1999).
The relics of St Milburga were originally held within the parish church, but they were uncovered near the altar in 1101 and then transferred to nearby Wenlock Priory. Rumours of miracles associated with them meant that Wenlock became a popular destination with pilgrims (just as it has become a popular destination with heritage tourists today!).
This association with St Milburga meant that the Normans lavished attention on the church, and in fact thoroughly remodelled it in the mid-12th century. Traces of the original Saxon building still survive, though evidence of a Norman makeover is clear, and the building was extended southwards in the late medieval period.
Here's a view into the nave and chancel through the west door, which has a lovely Romanesque arch surviving, complete with dog-toothed mouldings:-
The tower was a later addition, built about 60 years after the remodelling of the nave and chancel.
Tomorrow, we'll explore the interior, which is, as usual, full of detail and complication. Information comes from a rather helpful leaflet provided in the church, which gives a detailed phased building plan that assists the inquisitive buildings detective no end as they struggle to get to grips with the place...
