St Mary's Church, East Bradenham
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church, East Bradenham, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Bradenham
, Norfolk
, England. It 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 at the east end of the village.
with dressings in ashlar
and brick. The roofs are lead. Its plan consists of a four-bay
nave
with a clerestory
, north and south aisle
s, a north porch, a chancel
, and a west tower flanked by the aisles. The tower dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. Its style is Perpendicular. It is in three stages, has angle buttress
es and a battlement
ed parapet
. On the west side is a doorway, over which is a 19th-century three-light window. In the top stage are two-light Perpendicular bell openings. In the west walls of both aisles are two-light windows. The north porch is in two storeys, and to its west is a stair turret
. On its north side is an arched doorway, with a three-light window above, and on the east and west sides is a two-light window. On its summit are finial
s consisting of mutilated figures. On the north side of the church are two two-light windows, and the east wall of the north aisle contains a three-light window. The windows in the south aisle are similar, plus a 14th-century doorway. In the clerestory on both sides are six round 14th-century windows with quatrefoil tracery. On both sides at the east ends of the clerestory is a three-light window. The chancel has, on both sides, four two-light windows and a priest's door, the door on the south side being blocked. The east window dates from the 19th century and has three lights.
with octagonal piers
. There are piscina
e in the south aisle and the chancel. Also in the south aisle is a medieval
altar slab. The octagonal font
dates from the 14th century with a 17th-century cover. There is a monument in the chancel to John Greene and his wife, dated 1684. Also in the church is a Rococo
-style monument dated 1750 to Gisbon Lucas. The organ was built in 1786 by Samuel Green
of London for Huntingfield Hall, Norfolk. It was moved into the church in 1883. Repairs were undertaken in 1892 by Norman and Beard. In 1940 the organ was moved to its present position from the south wall of he chancel. It was granted a Historic Organ Certificate in 1999, and plans are in hand for it to be restored.
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 the village of Bradenham
Bradenham, Norfolk
Bradenham is a village and civil parish, a conglomeration of East & West Bradenham, in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some south-west of the town of East Dereham and west of the city of Norwich....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England. It 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 at the east end of the village.
History
The church dates from the 14th century, with additions and alterations in the 15th and 19th centuries.Exterior
St Mary's is constructed in flintFlint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
with dressings in ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
and brick. The roofs are lead. Its plan consists of a four-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
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...
with a clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
, north and south 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 north 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 flanked by the aisles. The tower dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. Its style is Perpendicular. It is in three stages, has angle 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 a battlement
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...
ed parapet
Parapet
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...
. On the west side is a doorway, over which is a 19th-century three-light window. In the top stage are two-light Perpendicular bell openings. In the west walls of both aisles are two-light windows. The north porch is in two storeys, and to its west is a stair turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
. On its north side is an arched doorway, with a three-light window above, and on the east and west sides is a two-light window. On its summit are finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
s consisting of mutilated figures. On the north side of the church are two two-light windows, and the east wall of the north aisle contains a three-light window. The windows in the south aisle are similar, plus a 14th-century doorway. In the clerestory on both sides are six round 14th-century windows with quatrefoil tracery. On both sides at the east ends of the clerestory is a three-light window. The chancel has, on both sides, four two-light windows and a priest's door, the door on the south side being blocked. The east window dates from the 19th century and has three lights.
Interior
Inside the church are 14th-century four-bay arcadesArcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
with octagonal piers
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
. There are piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
e in the south aisle and the chancel. Also in the south aisle is a 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...
altar slab. The octagonal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
dates from the 14th century with a 17th-century cover. There is a monument in the chancel to John Greene and his wife, dated 1684. Also in the church is a Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
-style monument dated 1750 to Gisbon Lucas. The organ was built in 1786 by Samuel Green
Samuel Green (organ builder)
Samuel Green , was an organ-builder.Green learnt his art under the elder Byfield, Bridge, and Jordan, and afterwards entered into several years' partnership with the younger Byfield. Green built a large number of organs for the cathedrals, and for churches in London and the country, instruments...
of London for Huntingfield Hall, Norfolk. It was moved into the church in 1883. Repairs were undertaken in 1892 by Norman and Beard. In 1940 the organ was moved to its present position from the south wall of he chancel. It was granted a Historic Organ Certificate in 1999, and plans are in hand for it to be restored.