Church of St Nicholas, Brushford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Nicholas |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Brushford |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°01′15″N 3°32′31″W / 51.0208°N 3.5419°W |
| Completed | 15th century |
The Church of St Nicholas in Brushford, Somerset, England, is a special old church. It was built in the 15th century, which means it's over 500 years old! Because it's so old and important, it's been given a special status called a Grade I listed building. This means it's protected and kept safe for future generations. It's an Anglican church, which is part of the Church of England.
Contents
What Makes the Church of St Nicholas Special?
The Church of St Nicholas has many interesting features from long ago. These include a medieval screen, a 13th-century font, and a very old parish chest.
Ancient Treasures Inside
The church has a beautiful medieval screen. This is a decorative wooden or stone partition that separates parts of the church. It's from the Middle Ages, showing how old the church's history is.
You can also see a font from the 13th century. A font is a large basin, usually made of stone, that holds water for baptism. This one is even older than the church building itself!
Perhaps the most amazing item is the parish chest. This chest is thought to be one of the oldest in all of England! It was made by hollowing out a tree trunk. In the past, these chests were used to keep important church documents and valuable items safe.
The Church Roof
The roof of the Church of St Nicholas has a unique history. It was once covered with special pegged oak planks. These are wooden planks held together with wooden pegs instead of nails.
During repairs in 2001 and 2002, some of these old planks were found. They suggest that the roof might have originally had roof shingles. Roof shingles are overlapping pieces of material, like wood or slate, used to cover roofs.
The Herbert Memorial Chapel
Inside the church, there is a special area called the Herbert memorial chapel. This chapel remembers an important person named Aubrey Herbert.
Who Was Aubrey Herbert?
Aubrey Herbert was a well-known person from Pixton Park, a nearby estate. He was a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected by people to represent them in the country's government, like a representative in a big meeting that makes laws. Aubrey Herbert was part of the Conservative Party. He served as an MP for different areas in Somerset from 1911 until he passed away in 1923.
His Memorial
The chapel has a chest tomb with an effigy of Aubrey Herbert. A chest tomb is a tomb shaped like a chest, and an effigy is a sculpture or statue of a person, often lying down. This effigy was created by an artist named Cecil de Banquiere Howard from Paris.
Above the tomb, there is a wooden canopy. This canopy was designed by a famous architect named Edwin Lutyens. It's a beautiful way to remember Aubrey Herbert and his contributions.
Church Community
The Church of St Nicholas is part of a larger church community. It belongs to a group of churches called a benefice. This benefice includes churches in Dulverton, Brushford, Brompton Regis, Upton, and Skilgate. This group of churches works together and is part of the Exmoor deanery, which is a larger area within the church's organization.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Somerset
- List of Somerset towers
