Description

BRIDSTOW CP
SO 5824

9/8 Church of St Bridget

GV II*

Parish church. C12 and C14, rebuilt except for tower in 1862 by T Nicholson.
Square sandstone, sandstone and limestone dressings, crested tiled roofs with
limestone gable crosses. West tower, three-bay nave with north and south
aisles, two-bay chancel with north chapel, south porch. West tower is late
C14, moulded plinth, two stages divided by string, coped parapet with slightly
raised south-west corner above newel, gilded weathercock, angle buttresses
at east corners, diagonal buttresses at west corners, newel loops to south
side above 2-centred C19 doorway, restored west window has three foiled lights
under 2-centred head; top stage has central 2-light trefoiled openings with
quatrefoiled tracery, that to the east side with a lower cill, those to north,
and south with a square headed opening beneath. North aisle has three trefoiled
2-light windows with quatrefoil tracery and labels in the north wall, a similar
window but with head stops at the west end and another of three lights at the
east end, rainwater heads in the form of lion-heads at east and west end of
valley between roofs of north aisle and nave. North chapel has three windows
each of one ogeed light in the north wall, and east door with strap hinges.
Chancel has 4-light east window under 2-centred head with head stops set
between a pair of set-back buttresses with weatherings, two more 2-light
trefoiled windows with quatrefoil tracery and head stops on south side separated
by a moulded 2-centred priest's doorway, the inner order of which is supported
by a pair of shafts, ball-flower frieze beneath eaves of north and south sides.
South aisle has similar windows, one of three lights with head stops to east
end, three of two lights to south side and one to west end, lion-head rain-
water heads serve valley between nave and aisle at east and west ends. South
porch is timber-framed of one bay with trefoiled open upper side panels,
scissor braces, ogeed front tie-beam and cusped bargeboard. C19 south doorway
is chamfered with 2-centred head and C14 door, slightly restored, which has
nails and studs, strap hinges, two major panels have trefoiled heads and tre-
foiled ogees between their apices. Interior has C19 open collar trusses to
all the roofs, the piers of nave arcades have different capitals carrying
2-centred double chamfered arches. Chancel arch is C12, re-set, with jambs
rising from C19 scalloped bases about five feet above nave floor, two semi-
circular orders, the outer with chevron pattern projecting westwards at ninety
degrees from face of arch, the inner with saltire pattern incised, shafts
have foliated capitals with abaci running into label on west side. Chancel
has re-set C12 or C13 two-bay arcade to north with double chamfered 2-centred
arches and foliated capital on C19 column and responds. C14 piscina re-set
in east wall with trefoiled head and C19 octofoil drain, early C20 organ, C19
recess in north wall contains small restored late C13 reliquary with cinque-
foil headed panelling divided by shafts, the top has shield and cross framed
in crocketted cinquefoiled tabernacle; east window, mid-C19 for Henry and Mary
Platt, died 1820 and 1854 respectively depicts the four evangelists, south-
east window for Francisca Maria Tweed, "In Memoriam Coniugis Dulcissima";
south-west window in similar style. Nave has double chamfered 2-centred
tower arch with the outer order dying on the west side into the tower walls;
font, possibly C15 and restored has octagonal base, octagonal panelled stem,
octagonal bowl with square panels; pulpit is mid-C19, octagonal with ogee-
headed panels containing trefoiled openings beneath crested top rail, octagonal
supporting stem has concave sides; lectern is brass, presented by Lydia Walsh
of Wilton Castle 1894; north aisle has stained glass in east window of north
wall of The Annunciation by Kempe with the inscription "Ave Maria Gratia
Plena"; east window for Elizabeth Biss, died 1868; centre window, above
plaque for seven men of the parish who died in World War II, depicts St
George and has the caption:

"TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY
OF CAPT I RAMSAY WORCESTER REGT
KILLED IN ACTION AT
NEUVE CHAPELLE FRANCE
MARCH 12 1915"

C17 oak chair with curved arms, turned front legs, back panel containing
lozenge decoration and central rosette under undulating top. South aisle
has another oak chair, early C17 with scrolled arms, turned front legs and
arm supports, guilloche on rail below seat, back with volutes to edges and
panel containing segmental arch on Ionic pilasters, partly gilded, east
window has stained glass for "Whaley Armitage and Eleanor his wife, deceased
1855 and 1868" with scenes of Christ prior to The Crucifixion; east window
of south wall for Colonel James Sleeman of the Bengal Army died 1889 with the
inscription "Speak the Word only", referring to the healing of the Centurion's
servant; near the last a brass wall plaque for Lewis Paxton Walsh decorated
in the Crimean campaign, died Wilton Castle, 1917; below the next window to
the west, a wall monument:

"IN LOVING MEMORY OF
HERBERT CLIFFORD BERNARD
COLONEL INDIAN ARMY
SOMETIME IN COMMAND OF RATTRAY'S SIKHS
WHO WAS KILLED AT THIEPVAL 1 JULY 1916
WHILE GALLANTLY LEADING HIS REGIMENT
10TH ROYAL IRISH RIFLES
QUI SEPARABIT"

Tower contains several wall monuments of late C18 to mid-C19 date including
an unusual black and white marble example with crossed feathers and poultry
legs for William Wiltshire died 1803; one for the Revd Love Robertston,
Vicar of Bridstow, died 1770; also a brass plaque for C W Whinfield by Thomas
Pratt & Sons, London: "THE HEATING OF THIS/ CHURCH WAS CARRIED OUT ACCORDING
TO HIS PLAN/ FEB 1894". Whitfield, according to his other memorial, in the
north aisle, was a Lt Colonel in the Royal Engineers and lived from 1840-93.
(BoE p 85; RCHM Vol I, p 28-9).

Listing NGR: SO5846024836

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537900

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Old House Care and Repair
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  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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