St Mary's Church, East Bradenham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, East Bradenham |
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St Mary's Church, East Bradenham, from the northwest
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| OS grid reference | TF 931 084 |
| Location | Bradenham, Norfolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 23 June 1960 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint and brick |
St Mary's Church, East Bradenham is a very old Anglican church in the village of Bradenham, Norfolk, England. It is no longer used for regular church services, but it is kept safe by the Churches Conservation Trust. This church is a "Grade I listed building," which means it is a very important historical building. You can find it at the east end of the village.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
This church was first built a long, long time ago in the 1300s. People added new parts and changed things in the 1400s. More changes were made much later in the 1800s.
Church Design and Look
Outside the Church
St Mary's Church is built mostly from flint stones. It also has some smoother stones and bricks. The roofs are made of lead.
The church has a main part called the nave. It has side sections called aisles on the north and south. There is a porch on the north side, which is like an entrance room. The chancel is the part of the church where the altar is. There is also a tall tower at the west end.
The Tower
The tower was built in the 1300s and 1400s. It is in a style called Perpendicular Gothic, which was popular for churches in England. The tower has three levels and strong supports called buttresses at its corners. The very top looks like a castle wall with square gaps, called a battlement.
On the west side of the tower, there is a doorway. Above it, there is a large window from the 1800s with three sections. The top level of the tower has windows with two sections where the bells are. The west walls of both side aisles also have windows with two sections.
Porch and Windows
The north porch has two floors. Next to it, there is a small tower with stairs inside. On the north side of the porch, there is an arched doorway. Above it, there is a window with three sections. The east and west sides of the porch each have a window with two sections. The very top of the porch has decorative points called finials.
On the north side of the church, there are two windows, each with two sections. The east wall of the north aisle has a window with three sections. The windows on the south aisle are similar, and there is also a doorway from the 1300s.
Upper Windows
The upper part of the church walls, called the clerestory, has six round windows on both sides. These windows are from the 1300s and have a special design that looks like four leaves. At the east end of the clerestory on both sides, there is a window with three sections.
Chancel Details
The chancel has four windows on each side, each with two sections. There is also a priest's door on both sides, but the one on the south side is now blocked up. The large east window was added in the 1800s and has three sections.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, you'll see tall arches from the 1300s. These arches are supported by columns with eight sides.
Special Features
There are special stone basins called piscinae in the south aisle and in the chancel. These were used for washing sacred vessels. In the south aisle, you can also find a very old stone altar slab from the Middle Ages.
The Font
The baptismal font is where babies are baptized. This font is from the 1300s and has eight sides. It has a wooden cover that was added in the 1600s.
Monuments and Organ
In the chancel, there is a monument for John Greene and his wife from 1684. Another monument in the church, from 1750, is in a fancy style called Rococo. It is for Gisbon Lucas.
The church organ is very old! It was built in 1786 by Samuel Green from London. It was first in a different building called Huntingfield Hall. The organ was moved to St Mary's Church in 1883. It was repaired in 1892. In 1940, the organ was moved to where it is now. In 1999, it received a special certificate because it is a very important historical organ. There are plans to fix it up so it can be played again.
See also
