We get to know the village near Bridgnorth that's home to some of the rarest wall paintings in the country
Sitting close to the border between Shropshire and Staffordshire, the village of Claverley is steeped in history going back almost 1,000 years.
Just east of Bridgnorth and west of Wolverhampton, Claverley is a pleasant village and civil parish home to around 2,000 people, according to the latest census.
Perhaps best-known for All Saints Church, a Church of England parish church in the heart of the village which dates all the way back to 1088, Claverley is home to some of the rarest wall paintings in the country.
Dated to around 1200, a number of painted scenes on the church's north wall around 50 feet long shows a series of 15 knights in armour engaging in combat. There are also a number of tombs of the Gatacre family, who dominated the parish from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century.
The village has been without a vicar in recent years, forcing the churchto hold fewer services than usual. Despite these struggles, resident Alan Reade continues to tend to the grounds and keep the place running, and discussed the love he has for the village after more than half a century living there.
Now tower captain of the church bellringers, Alan and his wife moved to the village 55 years ago and said it has changed plenty in that time.
"I'm from Wolverhampton, so is my wife. We used to come out every weekend walking with the dog, and we thought we might as well live out here, or somewhere like this.
