Strensham
Anglican: St John the Baptist
Situated near the M5 Motorway the plain exterior of the church has been plastered and whitewashed for conservation. The earliest surviving fabric is 14th century. The beauty is in the interior, a wide nave with a very wide aisle and 16th century pews. The west gallery is a reconstructed rood loft with 23 decorated 15th century panels. There are several large monuments to members of the Russell family. St John the Baptist features in Jenkins’ 1000 Best English Churches and Betjeman’s Best British Churches (2011). In the care of the Churches Conservation Trust since 1991. Keyholder nearby.
St John the Baptist Interior from undated postcard.
The Church of St John the Baptist, September 2013.
For more pictures from 2013: Please Click Here. (www.flickr.com/tudorbarlow)
References and some further sources:
Aiken, John. Census of Religious Worship, 1851: The Returns for Worcestershire.
Bridges, Tim. Churches of Worcestershire (2005)
Brooks, Alan, and Nikolaus Pevsner. Buildings of England: Worcestershire (2007)
Morgan, Paul. Inspections of churches and parsonage houses in the Diocese of Worcester in 1674, 1676, 1684, and 1687 (1986)
Noake, John. The Rambler in Worcestershire or, Stray Notes on Churches and Congregations.
Volume I (1848)
Ransome, Mary. The State of the Bishopric of Worcester, 1782-1808 (1968)
Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service, The Hive Worcester, Parish Papers:
n.b. Full details of these books are on the bibliography and sources page.
Websites: British History Online: Entry for Strensham.
Grade I Listed Building: Listing Details Here.
Historic England listing: Please Click Here.
Churches Conservation Trust: Page for Strensham.
Family History Website.
Click on red text for a link. External websites will open in a new window. Page updated May 2022