St Andrew Bredwardine

 

 This week the Church Explorer takes you to St Andrew Bredwardine this third of the churches on his Clerics Trail tour and one of the more important as Kilvert was vicar here and is where he is buried. When I got here I notice people walking around the churchyard and asked if they were looking for Kilvert, the answer was yes and told me where to go. I do wonder if they went around the church

The history is from The National Churches Trust website as I can find none on Wikipedia 

"The church is Norman, although there is evidence of a Saxon church, and parts of the chancel may be of Saxon date. The chancel is at such a pronounced angle to the nave that some members of the congregation cannot see the altar.

There is early stone carving on the lintels of both the south and (blocked) north doorways; the north doorway has two figures, one with a bird's head and the other perhaps with a monkey's head.

In the church are a huge bowl shaped Norman font, and the effigies of two knights, one is from the 13th century and the other is from the 14th century. The latter is of Sir Roger Vaughan, who died defending Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

In the churchyard, on the north side, is the grave of Francis Kilvert, Rector here for two years until his death in 1879. His diaries record the lives of the people of this area, and his descriptions of the seasons, the weather and the Border countryside and its way of life are among the best of their kind."

You can also read about it in a board outside the churchyard

Most of the church is hidden from the road son the south side is the view most people will see when they visit

West end of the church

North side showing the off set tower

 Back to the south

 Phone shot of the tower

 Blocked north door

 

 Kilver called it the Devils door, not sure he appreciated that it was Norman

The porch were if you go in you will see another Norman doorway

 The detail is on the lintel 

I wonder if the tympanum was carved or just plain

 Collage of the carvings

There is quite a big churchyard

 

But Kilverts grave is the one everyone goes to see

 

 It looks a little too well maintained for a grave that is nearly 150 years old so I dare say the Kilvert society look after it

This one stands out but it was not who I thought it might be it belongs to William  Broom Giles and his wife Ellen Amie

Lots of ole headstones

 Double headstone inscription still legible 

Solitary grave near the entrance, beyond is the current cemetery and where I found out later where Kilverts wife is buried

Inside the church with I found much nicer that some other I visited the same day

 

Looking down the nave

Near to the chancel

Choir stalls and altar

The altar and beautiful altar cloth

The reredos behind I thougth amazing

Behind that the east window

The altar rails were amazing

With word carved in them.They were made local by James and George Brierly 

Another view of the reredos

View to the back of the church

Moving to the left slightly

Portrait view

From in front of the pulpit

The pulpit

Standing where Kilver would have looking at the congregation 

It also gives a good view of the chancel 

The organ

This was on show on the north wall

 

Door leading to the vestry and bell tower

I think these are tin plate and Victorian

Effigy of Walter Baskerville 

The effigy of Sir Robert Vaughn is in much better condition 

Quite a few memorials to see

Nice brass Roll of Honour 

This one from the Second World War

Couple of wall hangings

Choir stalls

Over on the north side of the chancel 

Near the entrance you will find some famed information on Kilvert

One on his diary and a photo of him

The other about his grave and his wife's

I cropped this part to show. I must admit I looked over to where the cemetery where his wife is buried but had not read the information or I would have gone over and taken a photo of her grave. I find it really sad she is not buried with him

There is a kitchen are at the back

You can also find a tomb lid near the chancel

List of past vicars, you can see Francis Kilver listed in 1877

Love the Norman font 

 

Last view of the church from the font

I noticed a prayer on the pulpit lectern so I will leave you with that.

Till next time may I wish you all a peaceful week