St Michael and All Angels TF10 9HE
Open daylight hours. If locked, contact numbers are on the door.
Parking, disabled access and toilets.
The village of Lilleshall dates back to Saxon times. Tradition has it that the name comes from “Lilla’s Hill”, named after Lilla who was a devoted servant of Edwin, King of Northumbria. It is thought that in AD 670, while on one of his missionary journeys, St Chad (who was to become the very first Bishop of Lichfield) came to Lilla’s Hill and told those who lived here the Good News about Jesus Christ. Those who became Christians as a result built a place in which to worship. This original church was a small Saxon building on the site of the present-day building.
The present church building was originally built in about 1200 and dedicated to St Michael and All Angels. Parts of the nave are late Norman, the chancel Early English and the north aisle was added in about 1300
. The tub-shaped font is Norman and may be as early as 900. According to tradition it came from the nearby Lilleshall Abbey.
A major restoration was carried out in 1856 when the appearance of the building must have changed quite dramatically. Galleries and two dormer windows were removed and the font was put in its present position. The extensive work meant that the building had to be closed for worship for a few months. A plaque on the north wall commemorates the reopening of the restored and re-ordered building.
The coat of arms of Charles 11 would have been added at the Restoration of the Monarchy.
For more information, see https://www.stjohnsmuxton.org.uk/st-michaels-lilleshall/#
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