10/07/2025
Recently we have been doing some restoration work for the memorial of Rev. Cooper of St. Michaels and All Angels church, Hamstall Ridware. This has been in preparation for a big anniversary to Celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's Birth, Who Rev. Cooper was the cousin. The church are Holding a Garden party in association with the Jane Austen Society to commemorate this and we do hope you can be there. We have prepared a video of the work we undertook and you will see just what a difference it has made!
Below are a few words from the Church Warden:
St. Michael & All Angels church is the parish church for Hamstall Ridware a small village located approximately 8 miles to the north of Lichfield. Built of sandstone under a Tudor oak beam roof, the church is Grade 1 listed dating from c. 1120 however much of the present building was constructed in the 14th and 15th c. Much of its history is bound up with that of the local lords of the manor and it has associations with Jane Austen who in 1806 stayed in the Old Rectory with her cousin, the Rev’d Edward Cooper the local rector. It is thought her stay inspired aspects of her novels Mansfield Park as well as Sense and Sensibility where the description of Delaford mirrors scenes of Hamstall Ridware.
Jane Austen
