As I was passing Burford church on my way back from Little Hereford I decided to stop off partly in hope that the church would be fully open this time and partly to look for family gravestones which I failed to find last time.
The red sandstone church is in a lovely rural location 200 yards from the River Teme and the Worcestershire border. When you travel round this area you are constantly going from Herefordshire to Shropshire to Worcestershire.
Parts of St Mary are 12th century and the church was extended at both ends in the 14th century. The West Tower is 15th century with a "perpendicular" top added in the 19th century restoration.
The West Door
The church was open but I decided I would look for family graves first - a decision I was to regret as you will see later!
Photos of the churchyard cross are not good I am afraid as the sun was in the wrong position just like last time! The cross was restored in 1867.
I took photos of some of the corbels that I missed on the last visit.
To see many more including Green Men and Mythical Beasts please see my last post on the church. St Mary, Burford
Although I have to admit I didn't read every gravestone (the churchyard is quite large) I failed yet again to find my paternal grandmother's family graves (I think there are four of them, including my grandmother's parents in the name Clarke). Even more worrying I found a website where you can check graves and names and this failed to produce a record for the name Clarke at Burford :( When I was a child we used to visit the graves with my grandparents every Easter to leave flowers. I do have a memory of the churchyard being full of primroses and red ants! I did visit when I was in my early 20's to look for the graves again without success. But then it was all much fresher in my memory and surely I would have known for certain then which church it was? The only other possibilities are Little Hereford Church or Tenbury Wells church both within a few miles of Burford. I do have a memory of what the church looked like which is why I am so certain it is Burford. The only other possibility is that it wasn't my grandmother's parents who were buried there but other people in the family with different surnames?
Just as I was about to go in the church I spotted two couples of elderly people had beaten me to it and none of them were wearing masks. Obviously they had as much right as me to be there but I could have kicked myself for not going in earlier. I pithered outside a while longer but they were obviously in no rush. Really I suppose, as I was on my own and no-one waiting for me, I should have just waited until they left but for some reason I decided to go in. Unfortunately it meant I missed a lot of the features I wanted to see as the men were hovering by certain tombs and the triptych :( Also I felt very uneasy which didn't help. I really have got out of the habit of being near people especially in indoor areas.
Photos in many cases are poor - it was quite a dark and gloomy church. In fact, I must make a mental note to turn on lights in churches if I can find the switch!
The 15th century font is "Perpendicular", octagonal with a bowl with square panels containing leaf motifs. I think there is a more recent font in the church but I didn't see it!
Sir Aston Webb restored the church in 1889. He was a free Arts and Crafts Gothic architect early in his career. He was employed by Miss Rushout to enrich the church in memory of her brother, the last Baron Northwise. Many of the fixtures and fittings date back to this restoration.
The next two windows were made by James Powell of Whitefriars. The first window shows Lord Fanhope (formerly Sir John Cornewall) and his wife Princess Elizabeth and the second depicts scenes from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
One thing I didn't miss, thank goodness, was the "Heart Tomb". Part of the inscription reads "Here lyeth the heart of Edmond Cornwall Esq, son and heyre to Sir Richard Cornwall of Burford. Knight who travelling to foreign countries to know, died at Cologne, the XIVth year of Henry VI. (1436) and willed his servant to bury his body there and enclose his heart in lead and carry it to Burford to be buried". Lower down the inscription reads his daughter "Eleanor has such an increase of children that 17 score and odd people were descended from her body before she died".
In the centre of the church is a monument to Edmund - containing a life size figure in oak (or pearwood). The Latin inscription reads "Edmund Cornewaylle, son and heir of Thomas Cornewaylle of Burford. Knight died the ... day of January in the year of our lord 1508th and his age the 20th. May he rest in peace".
I gave up on accessing the tombs and triptych on the other side of the church and left at this point. But I will return.
(List of features missed - meant as an aide memoire for me when I go again.
- Life sized brass to Elizabeth de Cornewayle d 1370.
- Alabaster effigy in chancel north wall of Elizabeth sister of Henry IV d 1426.
- Very rare monument is the painted triptych. Signed and dated Melchior Solabuss 1588 with portraits of Richard Cornewall d 1568, his wife Jenet and son Edmund.
- Two other memorials with couples kneeling facing each other.
- Priests' doorway early ironwork (N side church I think). Or did I see it last visit?
- Five large angel figures chancel roof.
- Large wrought iron candelabra and lanterns from restoration.
- On floor near Triptych is replica of a pole axe belonging to Edmund who was around 7 foot three inches tall. Axe bears his initials.
- Scratch dial near priests' doorway south side with original 700 year old door. Crescent shaped hinges and small ring knocker.
- Nave roof 13/14th century.
- Large oak chest.
- Water stoup by south door.
- Black and white mosaic tiles in chancel with heraldry)
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
All photos taken by me with the Pansonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera.
Reference:
The Old Parish Churches of Shropshire by Mike Salter
Buildings England Shropshire by Nicolaus Pevsner Penguin Books (1958)
Saint Mary's, Burford Shropshire. A Short Guide compiled by the Reverend C G Challenger MA Rector 1961/8.
