All Saints Church, Claverley

The church can trace its origins back to the 7th century. The present church was founded by Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, who died in 1094. The tower was doubled in height and angle buttresses were added to it towards the end of the 15th century. In 1902 the top two stages of the tower were rebuilt, faithfully copying the original design, by W. Wood Bethell.

The north arcade, other than the easternmost arch, is Norman, dating from the early 12th century. It consists of round arches carried on circular piers, with circular capitals. The north tower arch is late Norman, with scalloped capitals. The northwest buttress of the tower, which was added in the 15th century, projects inside the church forming a round-headed niche, known as the 'seat of penitence'. The two-bay arcade to the west of the tower dates from the middle of the 13th century. It is carried on octagonal piers with capitals carved with heads and leaves, and a depiction of "two dragons nibbling a human head". It has been suggested that this portrays scenes from the 5th-century poem…