St Edmund King & Martyr
Dudley, West Midlands
On a site of Christian worship for over a thousand years, the present building (1724) was rebuilt after an altercation in 1646 between the King's men and the Parliamentarians.
The oldest part of the present church dates from the 12th century, but most of the present church is of 15th century date except for the chancel, which was rebuilt in 1867.
The various chapels contain an interesting collection of monuments spanning many generations, from the bronze statue of Sir Richard Leveson, who helped to defeat the Spanish Armada, to John Marston (1836-1918), a Victorian manufacturer and a pioneer of the early days of the motor industry here.
Don't miss the carved faces on the choir stalls, nor the wonderful stone pulpit. Carved in about 1450, it still has its original staircase, curving round one of the sandstone piers. It is guarded by a large and mournful looking stone lion.