About St Mary Magdalene, East Castle Street, Bridgnorth

Welcome to St Mary Magdalene's Church in Bridgnorth. Let's start with a tour of the church - note the church is aligned south (altar) to north (porch).

Start at the door, and walk along the nave towards the chancel steps. Note the ionic columns, left unfluted by Telford to save expense. Look around at the simplicity, spaciousness and symmetry of Telford's church, enhanced by the six replacement clear glass windows put in in 1971, to his original design. The oak pews were made from the best timber of the old pews in 1889.

At the chancel steps, turn right, passing the brass eagle lectern of 1897 and the memorial to the war dead. In the south west corner is the door to the clergy vestry, and the parish memorial book. Proceed along the west aisle towards the back of the church, following the stations of the cross, i to ix, erected in 1987 from a legacy. Through the windows you can see all that remains of Bridgnorth castle after the civil war of 1646. In the north west corner the kitchen was built after the relocation of the choir vestry, which itself was created in 1934 by the removal of a spiral staircase to the balcony.

Move across the back of the church, to the north east corner which now accommodates the choir vestry, which houses the memorial boards of past benefactors. Here also is the door to the gallery and belltower. Continue to follow the stations of the cross, x to xv, along the east aisle to the lady chapel altar, dedicated in 1924 to Major Westcott, churchwarden. As you walk along the east side, the windows afford a view across low town and the surrounding country. Behind the altar is a curve in the plaster, where there was an old vestry door, to match the clergy vestry door on the west side.

Go now towards the chancel steps, noting the pulpit donated by Marianne Vickers in 1897. The chancel screen of bath stone with panels of devonshire marble was erected in 1882. Walk up the steps into the chancel. In Telford's original church this was just an altar recess, lit by a single small skylight window. To the left is the organ in the south east corner. It was moved here about 1875, being enlarged and rearranged after removal from the north gallery. Move towards the altar. The apse was built in 1875 under architect Sir Arthur Blomfield's plan. The chancel windows were added a year later. The new altar piece and ciborium were erected in 1952.

Turn now to return to the door. As you walk down the chancel steps, try to imagine the large tri-decker pulpit that stood here until 1897. As you walk towards the door, you have a good view of the north gallery, where the organ used to be until 1875. And remember there were side galleries until 1889. A photographic copy of a portrait of Thomas Telford dated 1792 can be seen in the porch.

Designed by an engineer, St Mary's church in Bridgnorth is often mistaken as catholic with its Stations of the Cross and absence of ornamentation or memorials. Telford's aim was for simplicity and uniformity, hence the single, almost square, large apartment, and maximum audibility for the greatest number.

St Mary's is often used for musical presentation, and the new Father Willis organ offers huge opportunities for choral excellence.

We have lots going on at St Mary's, including outreach, house groups, bereavement support, marriage preparation, baptisms, confirmation classes, robed choir, young choristers, concerts, young family praise, youth group, creche, prayer group, bellringers, Mothers' Union, school governors, daily stewarding, hospital chaplaincy, retirement home services, families 'r' us, friendship lunches, drama and music, pulpit exchanges, Friends, study groups, lending library, and much fellowship!

How to find us

For directions to the church, click here.