Details
SS92NW BRUSHWOOD CP
BRUSHFORD VILLAGE
9/39 Church of St Nicholas
6.4.59
GV I
Parish Church. C15, nave refenestrated early C16, porch rebuilt 1725, tower largely rebuilt 1887, 1889 church reseated,
tower arch opened, 1890 porch restored, 2 new windows in north side of nave; others reglazed and font restored,
architect C H Samson; 1907 chancel panelled and new gallery with organ added and ceiling inserted in tower; 1931
Herbert memorial chapel completed to 1926 designs by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Squared and coursed red sandstone tower,
roughcast nave, squared and irregularly coursed iron stone chancel, Ham stone dressing to memorial chapel, slate roofs,
coped verges to porch only. West tower with stair turret, 2-bay nave, south porch, chancel with memorial chapel set
into hillside, chapel linked to chancel by tomb beneath canopy, entrance now via west door, Crenellated and diagonally
buttressed tower, renewed merlons, trefoil headed single light louvred bell openings, square headed lancet below,
string course, 3-light west window, west door; 3-light windows flanking single storey gabled porch, depressed chamfered
pointed arch opening, sundial dated 1855, similar inner doorway, medieval studded plank door with C14/C15 handle plate,
slate stone inscribed "This wall and porch was newley built in 1725", to right of porch tablet to John Goodwing, died
1774. C19 infill to junction of nave and chancel similar to that at Church of St Mary, Brompton Regis CP (qv), 2-light
cinquefoil headed window under hoodmouid in chancel, 3-light east window, chapel with narrow recessed tomb bay, gable
end with lancet flanking window in form of a cross, 3 lancets on north front with rusticated surrounds, arched heads
cutting string band which is returned to west gable end at base of tall lancet above ribbed door, rusticated surround
and coat of arms above, approached by lateral flight of steps with retaining wall, two 3-light windows to nave.
Interior: rendered, with Ham stone ashlar and cement facing in chapel. Unmoulded tower arch with jamb cut by doorway
giving access to pulpit set in roodscreen, chamfered jambs to tower arch largely obscured by organ loft, Plastered
barrel vault roofs to nave and chancel, latter with only axial ribs and bosses, nave with only roof ridge rib and
bosses, open ribbed roof to chapel, moulded compartment ceiling to tower, Five bay fan vaulted screen, much restored
with pulpit inserted. Jacobean altar table, two C17 joint stools, branch candelebra. Woodern gallery carried on 2 pairs
of columns. Tablet in tower to Robert Norris, rector died 1708. Remains of medieval stained glass in north window of
chancel, glass in south window said to be C16 French, 1890s stained glass, window to child of Luard family, died 1891
said to be by Morris and Co. Square Purbeck warble font with arcaded sides. Herbert memorial chapel: chest tomb with
effigy of A N H Molyneux Herbert of Pixton Park (qv) died 1923, by Cecil de Banquiere Howard of Paris under wooden
canopy designed by Lutyens, the motif of a cross with circles in the angles is repeated in the leading of the apricot
colour tinted glass. The chancel side of the canopy, above the coved cornice, has 6 panels with painted coats of arms,
cresting on chapel front. A regimental sword in a billeted frame hangs on the west wall above the effigy, Door in west
wall of chapel and one on south site qiving access to area behind tomb. A minor though none the less interesting
example oF Lutyens' work which deserves a better fate than a general purpose storeroom. At time of survey it contains
some broken C17 bench ends. The porch, no longer used, contains a late medieval poor chest and remains of stocks, upper
half restored. (Pevsner, Buildings of England South and West Somerset 1958; Kelly's Directory, l914; Photograph in
NMR)>
Listing NGR: SS9194925736
