Pillerton

Pillerton Priors is 7 miles South of Stratford upon Avon on the A422 Banbury road at the Junction with the road to Kineton (B4451). Pillerton Hersey is on this road, a mile east of Pillerton Priors.

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The two villages were combined into a single Parish in 1666, when the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Pillerton Priors was destroyed by fire (supposedly started by a spark that had blown up here from the Great Fire of London!) The Church was never rebuilt but the churchyard is still consecrated ground and an "open air" service is held every year on the Sunday closest to the Patronal Festival - July 22nd.

Viewed from the Kineton Road, Pillerton Hersey seems to "nestle" in a shallow valley, with the tower of the church protruding from the trees and clustered round with houses; although, in reality, the Church of St. Mary the Virgin is more on the edge of the village. The Church dates from the 13th century and is made of local stone. There are three bells in the tower: the treble dated 1668, the second 1672 and the tenor 1602. On the inside, there is a stone floor, wooden pews and a beautifully carved wooden ceiling.

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Outside, there is a grassed church yard that is maintained by village residents. There is enough room for approximately 10 cars to park outside the gate. The church has both a kitchen servery and toilet facilities enabling village events to take place such as the annual Church Fete in June and Sunday teas in August. In 2017 the bells and tower were refurbished with the addition of two more bells making a total of five. These are rung regularly and can be used at wedding services or other functions throughout the year.

In the summer of 2020  the clock face was repainted and gilded and in November the newly restored (1740's) Thomas Steight mechanism was installed.