Church of St Nicholas, Bradfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Nicholas, Bradfield |
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| 53°25′42″N 1°35′46″W / 53.42844°N 1.5961°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Administration | |
| Parish | High Bradfield |
| Diocese | Diocese of Sheffield |
The Church of St. Nicholas, Bradfield is a very old church found in the small village of High Bradfield. This village is about 6 kilometres (4 miles) north-west of the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. This church is super special because it's one of only five buildings in Sheffield that are "Grade One Listed." This means it's a really important historical building that needs to be protected. The church sits high up, about 260 metres (850 feet) above sea level, and has amazing views of the Peak District National Park.
Contents
History of the Church
Early Christian Worship
People have been worshipping God in the Bradfield area for a very long time. We know this because a Saxon cross was found nearby in 1870. Experts believe this cross is from the 9th century, which is over 1,100 years ago!
A local historian named John Wilson thought the first church here was built in 1109. This was during the time of the Normans, who had taken over England. The Normans thought the Bradfield area was important for defence. They even built a small castle nearby with a mound and a wooden fort.
The Church of St. Nicholas started as a smaller church connected to a bigger one, the Church of St Mary, Ecclesfield. It was like a "chapel of ease," meaning it was a handy place for people to worship without travelling far. It became its own main church in 1868.
Building Changes Over Time
The first Norman church was quite simple. It had just two main rooms. In the 14th century, a square bell tower was added. Then, in the 1480s, most of the church was rebuilt in a popular style called "Gothic Perpendicular." This style has tall windows and pointed arches. They used some of the old stones, which were local gritstone.
During the English Civil War, the church's inside changed a lot. People called Puritans removed statues, wall paintings, and stained glass windows. They also painted the walls white.
Restoring the Church
In the late 1800s, people decided to bring back the church's 15th-century look. Parts of the original Norman church are still there today, like some of the arches, the font (where baptisms happen), and the arch leading to the altar. The old 9th-century Saxon cross was placed into the church's north wall in 1886. This cross is made of local stone and has five simple bumps on its head, which was how Saxons showed the crucifixion.
Records of births, marriages, and deaths at the church go all the way back to 1559! For music, the church used to have local musicians with instruments like a bassoon and a violoncello. They played with the choir. In 1843, an organ replaced the musicians. The organ used today was put in in 1973. It was bought from another church that was closing down.
Inside the Church Today
Beautiful Windows
The church has 17 stained glass windows of different sizes. Many of them are from the late 1800s. There's even a "Medieval Window" with small pieces of glass from the 1400s! During World War II, this special window was hidden in a local clay mine to keep it safe from bombs.
Some famous artists and companies designed these windows, like Sir John Ninian Comper, Clayton and Bell, and Hardman & Co.. The biggest window is the east window. It was given by the Wilson family in 1870. It shows important Bible stories like the birth of Jesus, his baptism, his death on the cross, his return to life, and his going up to heaven.
Another window on the west wall was given by the Dixon family in 1930. They owned a paper mill nearby. The main west window is in the bell tower. It was a gift from James Wilson Rimington-Wilson and shows Saint Nicholas and Saint Cuthbert. Many of the church's windows were designed by William Francis Dixon from the Clayton & Bell company.
Special Interior Features
The pulpit, which is where the preacher stands, has carvings of Jesus and the four writers of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The area around the altar is decorated with oak panels brought from France in 1886. The church roof is a "camber beam" roof, which means it's slightly curved. The wooden posts supporting the roof have carved feet and designs.
The original Norman baptismal font is still used today. It's made of a type of limestone and has no decorations. It's thought that monks from Roche Abbey made and gave it to the church in the 1100s. A hidden room called a "vestry" was found and fixed up in the 1800s. People think visiting priests used to sleep there.
Important Memorials
The church has memorials to the men from Bradfield who died in both World Wars. There's also a special plaque from 1989 that remembers the terrible Great Sheffield Flood of 1864. This happened when the nearby Dale Dike Reservoir dam broke, and 270 people sadly drowned. Many flood victims are buried in the churchyard. You can also find the grave of William Horsfield there. He was the person who first found the crack in the dam's wall. He died in 1881.
The Bell Tower and Watch House
The bell tower has eight bells made by John Taylor Bellfounders. Six of them were made in 1847, and two more were added in 1997. The bells weren't just rung on Sundays. Records show they were also rung for important national events, like on November 5th to remember the Gunpowder Plot. After 1660, they were rung on May 29th (Oak Apple Day) to celebrate the return of the king.
Near the church gates, there's a unique, oddly shaped building called a "watch house." It was built in 1745 to guard against grave robbers. Back then, friends and family would sometimes guard newly buried loved ones with guns to stop people from stealing bodies. This is the only watch house still standing in Yorkshire. Today, it's a private home.
In 1987, Bradfield village lost its church hall. So, some of the back pews (benches) in the church were removed to create a meeting place and a kitchen for the community.
Images for kids
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The Church of St Nicholas, Bradfield.
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The ancient Saxon cross inside the church.
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A beautiful stained glass window.
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Another view of the church.
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The church seen from a distance.
