St Mary Magdalene

It has a  tranquil simplicity, with four large yew trees in the churchyard and church bells that are about 700 years old.

The histories of the church and the village of Leinthall Starkes are closely linked. In the middle of the 13th century the estates of Roger Lenethale, which had previously been taken away from his family by the Norman Barons, were returned to him by King Henry III. The estate which was known as Lenthall was then split by Roger into two separate manors: Leinthall Starkes and Leinthall Earles. In each of these manors he then built a manor house with attendant buildings and a freestanding chapel using local sandstone. The senior manor house, where Roger lived, was in Leinthall Starkes and its chapel eventually became the church of St Mary Magdalene.

Being originally a chapel may go some way towards explaining the simplicity of this place of worship, and other than having a bellcote installed in the 17th century, it has changed little during the intervening years with many of the original 13th century features remaining. The church was restored in the early 16th century with money left in the will of William Lenthall (a descendent of Roger) for that purpose when he died in 1497. It was restored again in 1876.

The rood screen is about 500 years old. The bells are 14th century, but the bellcote is not as old. Rumour has it that the bells used to hang in a tree in the churchyard.