St Swithun's Church, Brookthorpe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Swithun's Church, Brookthorpe |
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| OS grid reference | SO 835 122 |
| Location | Brookthorpe, Gloucestershire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Swithun's Church, Brookthorpe [1] |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Swithun |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 10 January 1955 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 13th century |
| Completed | 1892 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Limestone, stone slate roofs |
St Swithun's Church is a very old and special church located in the small village of Brookthorpe, in Gloucestershire, England. It's an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. Today, it is looked after by a group called The Churches Conservation Trust, which helps protect important old churches. This church is so important that it's officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it has special historical or architectural value.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
St Swithun's Church was first built a very long time ago, in the 13th century. That's over 700 years ago! Later, in 1892, some parts of the church were updated and repaired. This kind of work is called a "restoration." During this time, a new section called a north aisle was added to the church.
What the Church Looks Like
Outside the Church
St Swithun's is built from limestone, a strong type of stone, and has roofs made of stone slates. The church has several main parts. There's a long central area called the nave, with a north aisle next to it. There's also a small entrance area called a south porch.
At the front of the church is the chancel, which has a roof that is a bit lower than the nave. There's also a small room called a north vestry and a tower at the west end. The tower has two levels and a unique "saddleback roof," which looks like a regular house roof.
On the lower part of the tower, there's a tall, narrow window called a lancet window. The upper part has openings with wooden slats, called "louvred bell openings," where the church bells are. The south side of the church has a porch with a pointed roof and strong supports called buttresses. This porch also has two-light windows on its sides.
On the north side, there's another pointed support at the east end and a lancet window. Next to this is the aisle, which has a sloping roof. This aisle has two windows with three sections each on its north wall. It also has a lancet window on the east side and a chimney where it joins the nave. The west end of the aisle connects to the vestry.
The main window at the very front of the chancel is a lancet window. It is built in an old style called Early English. On the south wall of the chancel, there's a door for the priest, with a lancet window to its left and a two-section window to its right. The north wall has a two-section window also in the Early English style.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, between the nave and the north aisle, there's a row of arches called an arcade. This arcade has two sections, with a round stone pillar, known as a pier, in the middle.
In the chancel, you'll find a beautiful decorated screen behind the altar called a reredos, which was added in the 1800s. There's also a special basin called a piscina in the north wall, used for washing sacred vessels. This was also repaired in the 1800s.
The font, where baptisms take place, is made of stone and has eight sides. It dates all the way back to the 1600s! The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, is made of wood, has six sides, and is from the 1700s. Some of the windows in the church have colorful stained glass from the 1800s.
In the tower, there's a memorial on the wall for George Venn, who passed away in 1694. Near the north nave window, you can see special carvings made by a famous artist named Eric Gill. These carvings are a memorial to an architect named Detmar Blow, who died in 1939.
The porch has a wall plate with a clever message called a chronogram. This message hides the date when King Charles I was executed. The church also has an old organ. It was first built in 1768 by a person named John Snetzler. It was moved to St Swithun's in 1939 and has been repaired a couple of times since then.
Around the Church
In the churchyard, there are five old stone chest tombs. These are also very old and are protected as Grade II listed buildings. One tomb, from 1666, belongs to John Weyman. Nearby, you can find the tomb of Susanna Smith, who died in 1697, and other members of her family.
The tomb of Thomas Browning is dated 1654. Close by is the tomb of Iohane Browneing (spelled a bit differently), who died in 1643. She was probably Thomas's wife. The fifth chest tomb is from the 1700s, but we don't know who it belongs to. The churchyard also has a war grave for an airman from the World War II.
See also
