Shrewsbury Abbey

Shrewsbury Abbey
Abbey Church of the Holy Cross, Shrewsbury
Church of the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Shrewsbury
52°42′27″N 2°44′39″W / 52.70750°N 2.74417°W / 52.70750; -2.74417
Location	Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Broad Church with choral tradition
Website	www.shrewsburyabbey.com
History
Status	Active
Founded	1083
Dedication	Holy Cross
Relics held	St Winifred
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Heritage designation	Scheduled monument, Grade I listed building
Style	Romanesque, Gothic
Groundbreaking	11th century
Completed	14th century
Specifications
Number of towers	1
Materials	Red sandstone
Administration
Province	Canterbury
Diocese	Lichfield
Parish	Holy Cross, Shrewsbury
Clergy
Vicar(s)	Pat Aldred, associate priest
Laity
Organist(s)	Director of Music Peter Smith Organist Nigel Pursey
Churchwarden(s)	Bernice Firmin, Brian Newman and Hannah Smith
Scheduled monument
Official name	Shrewsbury Abbey (Including Pulpit)
Reference no.	1003718
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name	Abbey Church of the Holy Cross
Designated	10 January 1953
Reference no.	1246392

The Abbey Church of the Holy Cross (commonly known as Shrewsbury Abbey) is an ancient foundation in Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire, England.

The Abbey was founded in 1083 as a Benedictine monastery by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery. It grew to be one of the most important and influential abbeys in England, and an important centre of pilgrimage. Although much of the Abbey was destroyed in the 16th century, the nave survived as a parish church, and today serves as the mother church for the Parish of Holy Cross.

The Abbey is a Grade I listed building and is a member of the Greater Churches Group.^[1] It is located to the east of Shrewsbury town centre, near the English Bridge, and is surrounded by a triangular area which is today referred to as Abbey Foregate.