St Mary's Church Almeley
We cannot say how long there has been a Christian church on this site. Apart from some re-used arch stones above the doors, which are of an earlier date, the oldest part of the church is the base of the West Tower, which was built about 1200.
(Mouse click once on any picture to enlarge it)
Plan of the church
The picture on the right gives a plan of the current church layout with approximate dates for each part
The Tower
The tower is entered by a door in a Jacobean oak screen, which was probably made from a dismantled gallery. On the ground floor of the tower is the bell ringing chamber which has in its four corners great oak posts which pass through the floor of the clock chamber above and carry the weight of the bell cage and the ring of six bells. The largest bell, the tenor, weighs 11 cwt 27lbs and is inscribed ‘I to church the living call, I to grave do summon all’. The upper part of the tower is probably 14th century.
The Chancel
The chancel was rebuilt at the end of the 13th century. It has a geometrical east window and a chancel arch supported on busts with another bust at the apex. In the chancel is a piscine of about 1300 and also a 14th century recess with a squint cut in the wall from the vestry.
The North Vestry
The north vestry was originally a chapel and is remarkable for having had a priest’s chamber built over it.
The Nave
The nave has arcades of four bays with octagonal columns and there are symmetrical north and south aisles. These were built about 1320-1330 in the episcopate of Bishop Orleton when many Herefordshire churches were rededicated. Apart from the tower therefore, the church belongs to the Decorated or Middle Pointed period. There is a rood loft staircase with the lower doorway in the north aisle.
The Nave Roof
The two eastern bays of the nave roof have boarded ceiling painted in yellow, blue, black and red to imitate square moulded panels. There are bosses at each intersection and a Tudor rose in the middle of each panel. The nave roof is 16th century and has scissor trusses with curved braces.
The Front Pews
Some 16th century carved oak panelling, possibly also taken from the dismantled gallery, has been incorporated in the front pews.
The South Porch
The south porch is probably about the same date as the nave. The door of nail-studded battens and trellis framing is probably 14th century. The porch now has a modern stained glass window designed and built by one of the parishioners, Olive Morgan.
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