Hanbury, Parish Church Of St Mary The Virgin c.1965

Photo ref: H501006

More about this scene

St Mary's Church has a prominent hilltop position with views to the Malverns and the Cotswolds. It was delightfully but fancifully described by the 17th-century historian Habington as 'invironed with highe and mighty trees and able to terrifye a far-off ignorant enimy with a deceitful showe of an invincible castell.' He was obviously influenced by the local tradition (for which there is no evidence) that an Iron Age fort once occupied the hilltop. The church is of 12th-century origin, but was rebuilt in the late 18th century.