Holy Cross Church, Ilam

Description:The parish church of the Holy Cross has Saxon, Norman and Early English features and was restored by Gilbert Scott in 1855-56. It contains the tomb of St Bertelin or Bertram, who is believed to have spent part of his life living as a hermit near to Ilam. He died in about 710 AD and was much venerated in Staffordshire during the Middle Ages. An octagonal memorial chapel was added to the church during the 19th century as a memorial to David Pike Watts, the father in law of Jesse Watts Russell. It contains a spectacular monument by the sculptor, Sir Francis Chantrey. This interior view looks towards the chancel.

This is one of a series of watercolours of all the churches in Lichfield Diocese in Staffordshire, painted by Miss Theodosia Hinckes and Mrs Rebecca Moore (wife of the Archdeacon of Stafford for Lichfield Cathedral) for Lichfield Cathedral between 1857 and 1861. Reproduced by Kind Permission of the Chapter of Lichfield Cathedral who retain copyright.