St Edburgha's Church, Yardley

Dating back to the 13th century, the church was constructed by Aston Church as part of the Diocese of Lichfield. It is dedicated to King Alfred's granddaughter, Edburgha of Winchester. Edburgha (d. 960) was a nun who spent her whole life in St Mary's Abbey, Winchester. She was canonised in 972, when some of her remains were transferred to Pershore Abbey, Worcestershire, for its refounding as the Abbey of St Mary and St Edburgha. Yardley formed part of the original endowment of the Abbey, as mentioned in King Edgar's Charter for Pershore of 972. The nave, north aisle, and Becket Chapel date from the 14th and 15th centuries. The church tower and spire date from 1461, though the central…

An unusual feature is the doorway on the north aisle which has the Tudor rose and pomegranate carved above the archway in celebration of the marriage of Henry VIII's older brother, Prince Arthur, and Catherine of Aragon. Another feature are scraped incisions in the base of the tower. The cause of these is unknown but it is believed that they may be sharpening marks. The clock on the side of the church tower has been replaced many times due to weathering. It was originally made of wood but it fell into a state of decay often. It also blocked a whole window on the side of the tower. Now the clock is made of metal with the window visible behind it. On the interior wall of the church is an…