61. CHANCEL WINDOWS III WH

The final two chancel windows on the South side ... . • The left window was restored in 1859 by Clayton and Bell. About half the glass is old. Top row: St Paul with sword and book; St Luke with pen and book; St James the Great with pilgrim's hat, staff and shell; St Joseph of Arimathea with a budding thorn staff and pot of ointment; St James the Less. Second row: St Helena with a cross; St Elizabeth of Hungary with a rose and sceptre; St Catherine with sword and broken wheel; St Etheldreda with a model of Ely Cathedral; St Margaret with cross and dragon. Third row: St Edward the Confessor; three Magi with gifts for the Christ-child; a Magus with gift; St Thomas with the Virgin’s girdle. • The window at right was restored in 1860. Tracery: St James with shell; St Barnabas with book; St Andrew with saltire; unidentified; St Peter with pontifical staff; unidentified; Virgin Mary; St John; St Matthew; St Peter. Top row: Archangel Gabriel who is shown 'feathered'; St George and Dragon; a figure which has been called the Virgin of the Annunciation (by association with Gabriel opposite) but is more likely a royal saint. Second row: an unknown saint in archbishop’s dress, possibly St Blaise; St John with cup and serpent; St Clement with anchor. Third row: St Mary Magdalene with jar of spices; St Peter with pontifical staff; St John with cup.    INDEX

62. SANCTUARY MEMORIAL AMT

This monument is on the South side of the Chancel, just East of the Edmund Walter tomb. It remembers Ambrosia, the daughter of Sir Henry Sydney (1529 – 1586), Lord Deputy of Ireland. In his later years he lived at Ludlow Castle.

63. NORTH SANCTUARY AMT WH

We now approach the sanctuary and high altar. At left on the North side stands the Townsend tomb, and the high altar and reredos are at left. Notice too the matching mosaic tiling, the kneelers and the decorative railing.

64. TOWNS(H)END TOMB AMT

Sir Robert Townshend (died 8 February 1555/56) of Ludlow, Shropshire was a judge who held a number of positions, including Chief Justice of the Marches of Wales and Chester. He was the founder of the Cheshire and Shropshire branch of the Townshend family. He married Alice Poppy, a daughter of Robert Poppy. Together they had six sons and six daughters. He died on 8 February 1555/6. He was buried in Ludlow church, where his memorial, erected in 1581, is a large table tomb with polychrome recumbent effigies of Sir Robert and Dame Alice, and with empanelled heraldry and images of three of his many children as mourners.

65. SOUTH SANCTUARY WH

The view across the sanctuary to the South side reveals a set of old stone sedilia – uncomfortable seating for the presiding clergy!

66. SANCTUARY MOSAIC WH

The area before the high altar is paved with an amazing mosaic: mainly branches of a vine, and featuring an ‘SL’ logo.

67. SANCTUARY ROOF AMT WH

We had a look at the chancel roof with its many bosses earlier (#58). It is worth admiring again, and we can look more closely at the angels.

68. SANCTUARY WH

The sanctuary East wall is magnificent, and we recall this is the parish church of a small town! To begin with we notice the altar cloth with ‘Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus’ printed across the top. Below, a design of fruiting vines fits well with the mosaic floor design. Just below the window is another line of text: ‘Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, Peace, Good will towards Men’.

69. REREDOS WH

The reredos dates from the C14 and was moved to this position in the 1440s. The Decorated niches survive fairly intact, but most of the figures are by Kyrke Penson (1886). The exception are those of St George and the Dragon over the Sacristy door at right. Many of the figures and scenes are easily identified: for example the Annunciation, Nativity and Crucifixion, St Peter (Keys) and St Paul (sword), and the Four Evangelists with their symbols. The gold tracery at top is original.

70. EAST WINDOW WH

The East window is one of the finest examples of a hagiographical (biography of a Saint) window in England, if not Europe. It depicts 27 scenes from the life of St. Laurence. It was originally made in the mid 15th century and restored by David Evans of Shrewsbury in 1832. For a detailed description of the window (and the life of St Laurence), see
https://www.ludlowpalmers.uk/w19-great-east-window.html.
This completes our tour of the St Laurence Church, Ludlow.