St Lawrence's Church, Broughton
Encyclopedia
St Lawrence's Church, Broughton, is a redundant
Anglican
church in Broughton
, Buckinghamshire
, England. Broughton was historically a village, but has now become a suburb of the new town
of Milton Keynes
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. The church stands on the northeast periphery of Milton Keynes, between the A4146
and A5130 road
s. It is listed Grade I because of its "remarkable series" of medieval
wall paintings.
in the 19th century, when the chancel was rebuilt. In 1849 a series of medieval wall paintings was discovered that had been covered in plaster for 300 years. These were restored in the 1930s by Professor Tristram. The church was vested
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 1 August 1987.
s. Its plan consists of a nave
without aisle
s, a south porch, a chancel
, and a west tower. The tower is in three stages with diagonal buttress
es and an embattled
parapet. On the south side of the church are three three-light windows. To the west of the porch is a 14th-century window with reticulated tracery
, and to the east of the porch are two Perpendicular windows. On the north side of the church is a staircase to the rood
loft.
and the dragon: Saint George lost his head in the 15th century when the ceiling was lowered. On the north wall there are a doom painting
and a Pietà
; these are designed as a warning against swearing. There are also paintings of Saint Helena and Saint Eligius
. The pulpit
dates from the late 17th or early 18th century. The memorials include a series of black marble
stones under the altar, fragments of brasses
from the 14th and 15th centuries, and a 17th-century wall monument. The stained glass in the east and south windows of the chancel by Kempe
dates from 1894, and that in a south window in the nave dating from 1864 is by A. Gibbs. The ring
consists of four bells, but these are no longer ringable. The oldest two were cast in about 1470 by William Chamberlain; the others were cast in 1622 by James Keene, and in 1655 by Anthony Chandler.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in Broughton
Broughton, Milton Keynes
Broughton is a historic village in North Buckinghamshire that has been a constituent element of Milton Keynes since the latter's designation in 1967; a civil parish; and modernly a suburb and new district of the 'city'.-History and Location:...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England. Broughton was historically a village, but has now become a suburb of the new town
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
of Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. The church stands on the northeast periphery of Milton Keynes, between the A4146
A4146 road
The A4146 is an A-class road running through south-central England from M1 Junction 14 at Milton Keynes, around Linslade and Leighton Buzzard , and via Dagnall to Hemel Hempstead, where it terminates at a roundabout with the A4251.In Milton Keynes, the road briefly follows the H6 Childs Way from...
and A5130 road
A5130 road
The A5130 is a road in the United Kingdom. It starts on a roundabout with the A509 near Junction 14 of the M1 motorway and proceeds south round the eastern edge of the original Milton Keynes designated area. After crossing the A421 the 5130 continues past the village of Wavendon. It then crosses...
s. It is listed Grade I because of its "remarkable series" of medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
wall paintings.
History
The church was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was restoredVictorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in the 19th century, when the chancel was rebuilt. In 1849 a series of medieval wall paintings was discovered that had been covered in plaster for 300 years. These were restored in the 1930s by Professor Tristram. The church was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 1 August 1987.
Exterior
St Lawrence's is constructed in stone, and has lead roofs with plain parapetParapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
s. Its plan consists of a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
without aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s, a south porch, a chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, and a west tower. The tower is in three stages with diagonal buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es and an embattled
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
parapet. On the south side of the church are three three-light windows. To the west of the porch is a 14th-century window with reticulated tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
, and to the east of the porch are two Perpendicular windows. On the north side of the church is a staircase to the rood
Rood
A rood is a cross or crucifix, especially a large one in a church; a large sculpture or sometimes painting of the crucifixion of Jesus.Rood is an archaic word for pole, from Old English rōd "pole", specifically "cross", from Proto-Germanic *rodo, cognate to Old Saxon rōda, Old High German ruoda...
loft.
Interior
The wall paintings in the nave date from about 1400. On the south wall is a depiction of Saint GeorgeSaint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
and the dragon: Saint George lost his head in the 15th century when the ceiling was lowered. On the north wall there are a doom painting
Doom (painting)
A Doom is a traditional English term for a painting or other image of the Last Judgment, an event in Christian eschatology. Christ judges souls, and then sends them to either Heaven or Hell...
and a Pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
; these are designed as a warning against swearing. There are also paintings of Saint Helena and Saint Eligius
Saint Eligius
Saint Eligius is the patron saint of goldsmiths, other metalworkers, and coin collectors. He is also the patron saint of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers , a corps of the British Army, but he is best known for being the patron saint of horses and those who work with them...
. The pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
dates from the late 17th or early 18th century. The memorials include a series of black marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
stones under the altar, fragments of brasses
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
from the 14th and 15th centuries, and a 17th-century wall monument. The stained glass in the east and south windows of the chancel by Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe was a well-known Victorian stained glass designer. After attending Twyford School, he studied for the priesthood at Pembroke College, Oxford, but it became clear that his severe stammer would be an impediment to preaching...
dates from 1894, and that in a south window in the nave dating from 1864 is by A. Gibbs. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consists of four bells, but these are no longer ringable. The oldest two were cast in about 1470 by William Chamberlain; the others were cast in 1622 by James Keene, and in 1655 by Anthony Chandler.
See also
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South East England