12th century carving, one of several reset in the north porch at Elmley Castle church. St Mary's at Elmley Castle, close to the bottom of Bredon Hill, is one of Worcestershire's more rewarding churches, situated in a delightful churchyard set back in a quiet corner of the village. Much of the present building is 15th century, though parts date from Norman and earlier times, shown by the herringbone masonry in the chancel and the quaint animal carvings in the porch. The building was restored by Ewan Christian in 1863 and Frederick Preedy in 1878, but while these interventions can be detected in certain places the overall sense of antiquity remains. Inside the church the light-level is somewhat subdued, giving it a rather mysterious atmosphere. The first item of note the visitor encounters is the intriguing 14th century font with dragons writhing around its base. However, the church's greatest treasures are the two large monuments in the north transept, both of the highest quality, the superb 17th century Savage monument with three reclining effigies, and the more flamboyant Baroque monument to the Earl of Coventry from c1700, portraying the deceased reclining and flanked by angels. Elmley Castle church is one not to be missed, the tombs alone justify a visit. It was normally open and welcoming in pre-Covid times and hopefully will receive visitors again once this crisis is behind us. Sadly more recently (since my last visit) there was an attack by a mindless vandal (not an isolated incident either) resulting in minor damage to both the major monuments. Hopefully this damage can be put right and the church won't be forced to lock its doors. More details on the Historic Worcestershire Churches Trust site below:- www.worcesteranddudleyhistoricchurches.org.uk/index.php?p...