Former St Andrew's Church

Details

BRIDPORT

777/5/374 SAINT ANDREW'S ROAD 19-SEP-75 BRIDPORT (East side) FORMER ST ANDREW'S CHURCH

II 1860, by Thomas Talbot Bury.

Materials: Coursed and squared yellow limestone with limestone ashlar dressings. Blue slate roofs.

Plan: Five-bay nave, two-bay chancel. Lean-to vestry and organ chamber south of the chancel.

Exterior: In the late Early English style. The steep west gable faces the road. It has a large bellcote of heavy stepped profile, with three bell openings. Beneath is a west window of five stepped lancets under a hoodmould. There is a shallow lean-to porch with moulded arched doorway. The north and south sides have two-light windows with simple plate tracery, between buttresses with two set-offs. In the east gable is a three-light Geometric window with tracery of circled quatrefoils. Small oculus above, again with quatrefoil.

Interior: Partially inspected (2002). The west end of the nave has been partitioned off with a concrete block wall and a ceiling inserted. The open arched braced roof survives.

Principal Fixtures: Partially inspected (2002). The font has been removed. The pulpit remains but is not visible. There is a simple square headed timber reredos, and the altar remains in situ. At least two stained glass windows of 1865 by Heaton, Butler & Bayne were removed from the nave and given in 1979 to the Ely stained glass museum, and two pieces (possibly also Heaton, Butler & Bayne) were reinstalled at the church of St John, West Bay, near Bridport. Some good quality stained glass remains in the chancel.

History: Thomas Talbot Bury (1811-77) was articled to A.C. Pugin in 1824, and set up on his own in London in 1830. He assisted A.W.N. Pugin with details for the Houses of Parliament, and also collaborated with several other architects. He designed 35 churches and chapels as well as parsonages, schools and public buildings. He is also noted as an engraver and lithographer, and was Vice President of the RIBA in 1876. The church of St Andrew was built to serve the growing north-east side of Bridport. It was closed c. 1977 and sold to a private owner, and has since been used as stores and workshop. . Sources: Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Building Society (ICBS) archives; file 05328.

Reasons for Designation: The former church of St Andrew, Bridport, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* A robust though simple Early English Gothic Revival church of 1860 by a little known architect, T. Talbot Bury, who trained under A.C. Pugin and worked with his son, A.W.N Pugin

* Effective west gable terminating in a big stepped bellcote: it makes a significant contribution to the streetscape, especially from the east where it dominates the hillside from the dual carriageway below.

* Despite extensive internal alteration and removals, the church retains architectural interest.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

401852

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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