A modern screen divides the choir from the nave. Round the church are fixed a number of shields bearing the arms of those knights and others who fell in the battle.
The font is modern, though a portion of the ancient font was lying in the tower in the year 1856, and a second font was erected in 1749 probably and taken away in 1861.
The vestry, or strictly speaking the Corbet mortuary chapel, was erected in 1861 over the place of interment of the family of Corbet of Sundorne Castle and Pimley. The Corbets are the patrons and proprietors of Battlefield.
On the north side of the chancel is a large and handsome monument erected in December 1821, to the memory of John Corbet, Esq., and several members of his family. John Corbet died 19 May 1817, aged 65 years; Emma Elizabeth, his first wife, and daughter of Sir Charlton Leighton, Bart., died 19 September, 1797; Annabella, wife of Sir Theodore Henry Lavington Brinckman, Baronet, and daughter of John Corbet, Esq., died 24th January, 1864, aged 61. Several other of this family are also named on this monument, and lie buried in the vault, which was made in August 1797.
A brass, mounted on jasper, affixed to the south wall of the tower, commemorates the restoration of 1861. It bears this inscription:—“This church, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, was built and endowed by Henry IV. in memory of the battle of Shrewsbury 1403. Having fallen into decay, its restoration, originated by public subscription, was finally completed in the year of Our Lord 1861, at the private cost of Annabella, wife of Sir Theodore Brinckman, Bart., according to plans prepared by Pountney Smith, Architect. Soli Deo Gloria.”
The Restorations of 1749 and 1861.
Battlefield Church has twice been restored, first about the year 1749, at whose expense we do not know, and again in 1861 at the cost of Lady Brinckman.
I fix upon 1749 as the approximate date of the first restoration for several reasons. The Parish Register that year speaks of “the church then down,” Mr. Leonard Hotchkiss being the minister. In 1746 “briefs” were being collected for the church. The earliest known engraving, after a sketch by James Bowen, of the north side of the church, which cannot have been engraved later than 1769, as Mr. Percy (afterwards Bishop of Dromore), had a copy that year, represents the church as then being in a perfect state externally, and states “this church was rebuilt a few years since.” The Archæologia for 1803 states that “the church was repaired and altered about 50 or 60 years ago.” All this points to 1749 as the date.
