The town of Shifnal lies 3 miles E of Telford. The church, built of red sandstone, is on the SW side of the town. The nave of the church was substantially rebuilt during the restorations of 1876-79, when the aisles may have been added; the 13thc S porch remains. The crossing tower is of c.1300. The chancel has 14thc additions to the E and S and an additional c.1300 chancel arch.

Romanesque elements date from the late 12thc and include parts of the chancel: two 12thc windows in the N wall with decoration both on the interior and exterior; a chancel arch with sculptural decoration behind the later one. The S transept is also substantially 12thc with sculptural decoration on the S transept arch leading into the S chancel chapel, on the 12thc window on the W wall, now the E end of the S aisle, as well as remains of the doorway on the S wall of the S transept.

Shifnal is mentioned in Domesday Book. Shifnal church and its tithes were given to Shrewsbury Abbey c.1087. As a result it soon lost its collegiate status, but remained important, probably as a minster.

The 12thc church was probably aisleless. Certainly, the S transept does not have an aisle. The quality of the carvings on the S transept arch and the S transept doorway is very high.

The arrow-shaped indentation on the uppermost voussoir of the jamb of the 2nd order of the E face of the chancel arch is similar to the decoration found on some of the uppermost voussoirs at Wrockwardine. The reset label stop on the S transept facade resembles the label stops at Child's Ercall and Woodcote. (Fieldworker)