St Leonard
Yarpole, Herefordshire
This is a story of two halves, the first half is about St Leonard's detached tower, which, after examination of is timbers by dendrochronology can be dated very accurately to the winter of 1195-6.
Originally built in the 14th century, the church was enlarged in 1515 and the east window added. Again in 1700 the church was extended with the addition of the bell turret and cupola and a set of impressive box pews.
Several pieces of stained glass from the 14th-century church survived, including a scallop shell of St James and a sun in splendour symbol of the House of York. There are large sections of 15th-century tiles, decorated with heraldic symbols. These were almost certainly made at Malvern.
When the chancel roof was rebuilt in the late 17th century, it was boarded and painted with clouds and gilded stars. At the same time painted and carved angel heads were added to the roof beams.
The monument to Sir Richard Croft and his wife Eleanor is striking. Sir Richard was Treasurer of the King’s Household during the reign of Henry VII and died the same year as the king, in 1509. Lady Eleanor was the widow of Sir Hugh Mortimer, uncle of the Duke of York. Eleanor was responsible for the running of the household for the ‘Princes in the Tower’ when they were resident in Ludlow Castle.
