On the south-west side of the church-yard lies Lieutenant Thomas Anderson, one of the last persons executed for adherence to the Stuart family. He was tried at Worcester for desertion, and shot here on 11th December, 1759.
On the west side, “grav’d in the hollow ground,” close to the tomb of the Rev. J. B. Blakeway, also repose the ashes of that amiable man, and indefatigable antiquary, Mr. David Parkes, who died 8th May, 1833, of whom there is a mural tablet in the Trinity Chapel. And also on the north-east side, those of the late zealous incumbent, the Rev. J. O. Hopkins, M.A. over which is a stone bearing the following inscription:—
JOHN OLIVER HOPKINS, M.A.
INCUMBENT OF THIS CHURCH, DIED AUGUST 1ST, 1853,
IN HIS 43RD YEAR.“BE YE ALSO READY FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YE THINK NOT,
THE SON OF MAN COMETH.”—MATT. XXIV. 44.
Westward of the church-yard are
ST. MARY’S ALMSHOUSES,
the safe asylum of feeble age and decent poverty. This foundation arose from the benevolence of the Worshipful Company of Drapers of this town, at a very early period; and was remodelled during the wardenship, of that company, of Degory Watur, a worthy burgess and draper of Shrewsbury, in the days of Henry IV., who, is believed (though whether on sufficient grounds is uncertain,) to have charitably devoted a portion of his substance to the erection and endowment of an almshouse, for thirteen poor persons of both sexes. This beneficent man is said to have “dwellyd in the almeshowse hall amongst the poor,” and a truly affecting sight must it have been to behold the pious old man, white with “the silver livery of advised age,” deprived of sight, and bowed with the weight of ninety-six years, daily accompanying the participators of his bounty to St. Mary’s church, where he “wold kneele amongst them in a fayre longe pewe made for them and hym selfe,” and offer up the grateful incense of thanksgiving to that Eternal Being, with whom there is no respect of persons. The good Degory
“Even in the downfall of his mellowed years,
When Nature brought him to the door of death,”
forgot not the objects of his charity, but in his will, dated on the day of his decease, 28th July, 1477, devised certain lands to the Wardens of the Drapers’ Company to “sufficientlie susteyne poore people in St. Mary Allmeshowse.” Other charitable individuals made subsequent additions to the endowment.
The almshouses originally stood within the churchyard, and were confined, unwholesome, and highly incommodious to the thoroughfare. In 1825 they were entirely removed, and the present comfortable habitations erected on the opposite side of the street, by the Drapers’ Company, at an expense of nearly £3000. The houses are sixteen in number, and the inmates, who must be parishioners of St. Mary’s, are appointed by the Drapers’ Company, and supported by them, at an annual expense of upwards of £100.
In an ancient timber house in the south-west corner of the church-yard, is