Shropshire’s Lord-Lieutenant Welcomes Dean of Hereford for a Tour of South Shropshire Churches

It was with great pleasure that His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire, Mrs Anna Turner, welcomed the Dean of Hereford, the Very Rev’d Sarah Brown to the county. Together they visited several churches in the Shropshire region of the Diocese of Hereford to witness firsthand the remarkable work being carried out by local congregations and clergy.  They were joined by the Archdeacon of Ludlow, the Venerable Dr Fiona Gibson, who holds responsibility for churches and clergy in South Shropshire and Deputy Lieutenant Mrs Katherine Garnier who is a Trustee of the Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust.

South Shropshire shares deep historical ties with Hereford Cathedral through its place within the Diocese of Hereford. The Cathedral places great value on its relationship with parishes throughout the diocese, especially those in South Shropshire, recognising them as a vital part of its ongoing ministry.

Mrs Turner said, ‘I am delighted that the Dean of Hereford and Archdeacon of Ludlow accepted our invitation to come to some of the churches in the furthest points of the Diocese and to learn about the joys and challenges each experience.’    Later she went on to say “As afterwards I reflected on our visit I realised how energised I felt by the kind, generous and loving people we had met in all six churches.   The encouragement and open invitation to everyone, is made with a genuine desire for their communities to be good places to live and have friends.    In my world there is never a wrong time in the day to eat cake, so we ate and enjoyed just a couple of guilt free pieces that were offered on our journey, and oh my goodness they were delicious!”

The day began with a visit to St John’s Church in Doddington, known locally as the ‘Beacon on the Hill’ , perched 1,000 feet up the side of Titterstone Clee Hill. For nearly 180 years this historic church has served as a hub for worship and community life but was forced to close its door for urgent fabric repairs, including the restoration of its distinctive cast-iron windows and improvements to the building’s overall condition. Thanks to national and local funding, community-led arts and heritage initiatives and hard-working volunteers and supporters, the building has reopened following an extensive renovation.  The Lord-Lieutenant and The Dean received a warm welcome and were able to witness firsthand the pride and commitment that underpin local projects, heritage preservation and civic life in the region. Visitors can enjoy a peaceful space for worship and quiet reflection, as well as explore the area’s rich heritage through a digital guide, printed infrared interpretation panels and much more.  ‘This project marks an exciting new chapter for St John’s,” said Celia Gibb, Church Warden and project lead. “What makes it truly special is the way the local community has come together to preserve and celebrate our shared history. We’re thrilled with the restoration of this beautiful old church – and even more excited to welcome new visitors, encouraging them to pause here as they journey into the Shropshire Hills.”

The tour then continued to the farthest edge of the diocese, reaching Sutton Hill on the outskirts of Telford. Sutton Hill Church, a 1960s-style building, is home to a well-established and diverse congregation. Its flexible layout allows for a blend of both liturgical and informal styles of worship.  Vicar Rev’d Preb Dawn Taffinder described a vibrant church community made up of young families and older members, all bringing a wide range of experiences and a shared willingness to try new things. The church is a hive of activity throughout the week with the Crafting for Charity drop-in group creating ‘twiddle blankets’ and currently knitting poppies for a Remembrance Fountain, while also teaching craft skills to local children. A new and thriving toddler group, led by Jess Robinson, offers a welcoming and safe space for young families and a Hygiene Bank, a people-powered charity run at Sutton Hill by Janet McGrath, responds to a very real need in the local area.  Meanwhile, Muddy Church continues to run throughout the summer holidays, offering outdoor, nature-based worship and exploration for all ages.

The next stop was St George’s Parish Church in Pontesbury, south of the A5 near Shrewsbury. Dating back to around 1250, the church has an active and welcoming congregation led by Rev’d Dr Greg Smith.   Over a delicious and much-appreciated lunch, Rev Smith and churchwardens talked about the parish’s wide-ranging work, with a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing – an increasingly pressing issue in this rural area. In partnership with the Shropshire Mental Health Team, the church recently launched ‘Time Out’ a drop-in group for the support of those living with anxiety, depression or social phobia.  This initiative complements the parish’s long-standing bereavement support team, further reflecting the church’s commitment to caring for the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of its community 

Rev’d Smith also serves as Rector of Holy Trinity Church in neighbouring Minsterley, a more industrial village where employment opportunities are largely limited to local factories and farms. Here the church’s focus is its work with children and young people in Minsterley and across all six parishes in the benefice.  Community involvement is strong, and the church building is in use almost every day. Activities include a toddler group for parents and carers, Teatime Church for children and a regular Youth Café for younger secondary school students.  Many of the activities are offered at low cost or no cost.  Provision is also made for a Coffee Hub, the Oasis bereavement support group, the Rea Valley Foodbank and monthly services at Hillcrest Nursing Home.

Both Holy Trinity and St George’s in Pontesbury work closely with Shrewsbury Youth for Christ, sharing a dedicated Youth Worker who provides mentoring and support at the local secondary school. The Youth Worker also helps guide youth ministry at St George’s, where a weekly drop-in club offers a safe and welcoming space for teenagers.

A wonderful example of what goes on day-in-day-out (and often unseen) across rural parishes was found at St Peter’s Church, Diddlebury in the Corvedale.    While discussion with Rev’d John Beesley, the churchwarden and PCC Treasurer centred around work in schools and Messy Church, it was also clear that all the churches in the Corvedale Benefice see themselves as one and the same – all collaborating and working together.  

A recently discovered treasure within the church sparked interest – a ‘subversive hatchment’ found hidden on the reverse side of the official coat of arms of William III, which is displayed on the west wall. During restoration work, when the hatchment was taken down, conservators uncovered what appears to be a highly treasonable and possibly unique emblem: a badge associated with James Edward Stuart, known as the Old Pretender. This covert symbol hints at the presence of a secret network of Roman Catholic Jacobite sympathisers in the Corvedale area, during a time when such allegiance was considered an act of treason. The discovery adds a new and intriguing layer to the church’s heritage, revealing its unexpected connection to one of the most turbulent political movements in British history

The sixth and final visit of the day was to St Peter’s Church, Stanton Lacy, the original mother church for the wider Ludlow area. The Rev’d Fr Justin Trevelyan Parker, along with members of the congregation, shared updates on the church’s ambitious 20-year reordering project. Steady progress is being made toward their vision of opening the building for broader community use, ensuring it remains a living, vibrant space at the heart of village life.  The long-term aim is to enable village organisations, schools, and local groups to make regular use of the space by hosting concerts, exhibitions, educational visits and other community events while preserving its primary role as a place of Christian worship, just as it has been since Saxon times. 

At the end of the whistle-stop tour, The Dean reflected on the day’s experiences, “this was a really exciting and stimulating road trip around some of the extraordinary churches of South Shropshire. We met some superb people who care so much about the church and community in their places – from Sutton Hill to Minsterley. Rumours of the demise of the Church of England are grossly exaggerated and its diversity as it serves different communities appropriately to their context is truly inspiring. Thank you to all who gave their time and passion to showing us what they do – and we had some wonderful cake too!!’

This special visit not only celebrated the living church in its many forms from ancient heritage to modern outreach but also reaffirmed the Church’s role at the heart of community life. Thanks to the tireless efforts of local volunteers, clergy and lay leaders, these churches continue to evolve and serve.   Earlier this year, the Lord-Lieutenant and the Dean of Lichfield made a similar visit to churches in North Shropshire. As the county spans both the Diocese of Lichfield and the Diocese of Hereford there is hope that the two dioceses will continue to collaborate in celebrating Shropshire as a united whole.  

Pictured Above

St George’s Church  Pontesbury:   L-R.  Katherine Garnier DL, Archdeacon of Ludlow Fiona Gibson, L-L, Dean Sarah, Pastoral visitor,Stephen Winwood, Churchwarden Marianne Mc Call, Churchwarden Alison Holmes, Rev Greg Smith and member of Time Out team

Hereford Cathedral https://www.herefordcathedral.org/diocese

Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust: https://www.herefordcathedral.org/hereford-cathedral-perpetual-trust

Beacon on the Hill.  St John’s Doddington : https://www.stjohnsdoddington.org/

Sutton Hill Church:  Telford:  https://suttonhillwoodsidechurches.org.uk/

St George’s Parish Church Pontesbury:  https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/10689

Holy Trinity Church Minsterley:  https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/10650/

St Peter’s Church Diddlebury: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/10498/

St Peter’s Church, Stanton Lacy:  https://www.stpeters-stantonlacy.co.uk/