A PMR write head has a stitched shield formation which results in a strong perpendicular write field with sharp vertical gradients. The shape of the stitched shield is determined by two design parameters, d=1/2(W.sub.SWSLE-W.sub.MPTE), and T.sub.SWS, where W.sub.SWSLE is the width of the leading edge of the stitched shield in the ABS plane, W.sub.MPTE is the width of the trailing edge of the main magnetic pole in the ABS plane and T.sub.SWS is the thickness of the stitched shield. By a proper choice of these parameters, the write field of the head is sharply limited in the cross-track direction, so that adjacent track erasures are eliminated.