Church of St Mary, Bitterley

The Church of St Mary stands in the quiet village of Bitterley, Shropshire, built mainly in the 12th and 13th centuries with later changes. Its simple nave has no side aisles, and the chancel is separated by an oak screen carved with open quatrefoils. A west-end gallery was added in the early 18th century by Littleton Powys, who was buried beneath it in 1732. The church contains notable fittings: an ancient stone font opposite the south door, a carved oak pulpit, and a plain coved ceiling. Three bells hang in the tower, and the body of the church measures 59.5 feet by 22 feet. Inside, war memorials include a stained-glass window dedicated to parish dead of both world wars and a plaque for Captain John Henry Walcot killed near Dunkirk. Outside, a Grade I-listed stone cross rises on steps with tabernacled niches showing the Virgin and Child and the Crucifixion. The churchyard holds eight war graves, four from each world war, and the surrounding countryside offers gentle views.