Read about the Trinity loggerheads

Though there are a number of loggerheads in stained-glass across Shropshire, we only know a couple where the name of the maker of the glass can be identified.  The most well-known of these is the loggerheads depiction in the 19th-century window in the corner of Trinity Chapel in St Mary’s Church in Shrewsbury, which is by the prolific stained-glass artist, David Evans.  

So it’s nice to see that St Mary’s has now recognised the historic importance of the panel in question by giving it its own guide – which is one of the five guides which can be picked up at the entrance to the chapel.

Incidentally, it is a peculiar mystery as to why Evans put the loggerheads into the chapel glass. But that is another story… - which is told in this post, 'Glass loggerheads in Shrewsbury' 

 A book has been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Yeomanry's anniversary too

  

By coincidence, 2025 is a significant year not just for the loggerheads but for the Shropshire Yeomanry regiment. It is the 150th anniversary year of the North and South Shropshire Yeomanry. 
The anniversary is being celebrated with a small exhibition at St Mary’s, Shrewsbury town’s central church.

The Yeomanry badge has always carried loggerheads (as you’d expect), though the design can vary quite a bit. In the photo above, there are three versions of Yeomanry loggerheads!
(For other variants used by the Yeomanry, see Sharp Militaria and Helmeted Loggerheads).

The Shropshire Yeomanry were transmuted into the 75th and 76th (SY) Regiments Royal Artillery during WW2.

 A new book has now been published to celebrate 600 years of the loggerheads - click here to find out more.

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Loggerheads in glass

 

This is one of the least known examples of loggerheads in Shrewsbury even though many tourists pass it ever year.
The reason is: this particular set is featured in a stained-glass panel very high up at the top of a window in the Trinity Chapel in St Mary’s Church. You need binoculars to see them clearly.
When you do see them, you'll notice they have no lolling tongues like the standrd loggerheads.

The tracery around it is clearly of ancient fragments of glass, but it’s doubtful that the loggerheads work is as old.  
Why are they up there anyway?  The rest of the window has nothing to do with Shrewsbury.
Anyone want to try a guess?

They are so high that no-one has been able to get up there to check what age the glass is; and there seems to be no record of its installation. 
The last mystery is that, if you look carefully, there are little white circles over the centre of the loggerheads' mouths.  What are they?  A glazier's mark, or something more significant?  

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