Pershore - Abbey

The current Church of the Holy Cross in Pershore was once the church of a Anglo-Saxon abbey.

The founding of the abbey is attributed to King Æthelred of Mercia.

In the 9th century Pershore reappears as a monastery under the patronage of Mercian kings. In the reign of King Edgar (959-975), Pershore appears as one of the abbeys to be re-established or restored under the programme of Benedictine reform.

Around 1022 the abbey was destroyed by fire. However, the noble Odda of Deerhurst took over the monastery and donated lands. After his death in 1056he was buried in the monastery. In the 14th century, the nobleman Adam de Harvington took over the monastery and promoted its new building.

In the course of the dissolution of the English monasteries (1536–1541) by Henry VIII, the monastery buildings were demolished along with the western part of the church. In 1686 the northern arm of the transept collapsed and was replaced by a wall.

In 1862–64 a thorough restoration was undertaken, which also included opening the crossing tower towards the church to create a lantern tower. The corner turrets of the tower are an ingredient from 1871.

In about 1840 the abbey was given a new baptismal font. The original Norman font was removed to the churchyard where it served as a cattle trough, and later as a garden ornament. In 1912 the old font was re-instated, on a new pedestal. The font is decorated with an interlacing arcade, in the panels of which are the figures of Christ and his Apostles.