Featured: Hare and Tabor T Shirts for discerning antiquarians

Hare and Tabor T Shirts for discerning antiquarians

Stone Worlds: Narrative and Reflexivity in Landscape Archaeology

Stone Worlds: Narrative and Reflexivity in Landscape Archaeology

Who's Online

There are currently, 320 guests and 3 members online.

You are a guest. To join in, please register for free by clicking here

Sponsors

<< Our Photo Pages >> St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) - Early Christian Sculptured Stone in England in Wiltshire

Submitted by Anne T on Tuesday, 11 June 2019  Page Views: 1584

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
Country: England County: Wiltshire Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone
Nearest Town: Bradford on Avon
Map Ref: ST8241960914
Latitude: 51.347031N  Longitude: 2.253817W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

Internal Links:
External Links:

I have visited· I would like to visit

Anne T visited on 17th May 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4 St Laurence's Church, Bradford on Avon: From Wells, we had to decide which church was going to be the very last visit of our Dartmoor Expedition, as we were rapidly running out of time – Deerhurst or Bradford-On-Avon. In the end, the decision was down to knowing that St. Laurence’s Church would be open, although only until about 5pm or 5.30pm, so the race was on to battle the traffic to get here in time. Eventually we made it with about 45 minutes to spare, managing to park just round the corner from both St. Laurence’s and Holy Trinity. What a treasure! I’d read that it was as complete as Escombe Saxon Church, but it felt so different – more doorways and very, very dark. The only spotlights were on the angels over the chancel archway, a small light in the sanctuary, then the rest through the narrow doorways and tiny windows. The church was a real tourist magnet and I had to wait several times to get a shot without people in the photo. I’m sure I annoyed everyone with my flash, but that was the only way I could photograph the stone fragments. I’m really pleased I’d printed of the Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture pages before we went, as I understood what I saw at the time. I put my papers down to take a photograph of the altar, coming out of the sanctuary to find someone had picked them up and was reading them. I had to ask nicely for them back and explain these were mine, but there was a leaflet in a box on the south wall of the nave. I was really sad we couldn’t get this little church to ourselves for ten minutes or so. We ended up having 15 minutes to look into Holy Trinity Church opposite, only to almost get locked in, although we spent 10 minutes or so talking to the very knowledgeable church warden. Then we walked around the town after to avoid the queues of traffic that had built up.

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : The left hand facing angel, recorded as AS Corpus Bradford on Avon 5a. They were discovered embedded in a wall above the western side of the chancel arch around 1850, later used in a flue in 1856-1857, then placed over the porch leading to the modern house attached to the south side of the building. Both angels are carved from single blocks of stone, which taper from head to feet, with the angels... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Early Christian Sculptured Stone in Wiltshire

This Saxon church is described by Pastscape as "one of the most important examples of Anglo-Saxon architecture extant in this country. It is considered to date mainly from" the latter part of the 10th c. but incorporating much of the church of a monastery founded by St. Aldhelm, c.705-10 … This building is of exceptional archaeological value and until the discovery, in 1856, of its ecclesiastical origin by Canon Jones of Bradford, had been in use as a "skull house" and then as a free School".

For detailed information about this church, see both Pastscape Monument No. 208138 and Historic England List ID 1036034.

Inside the church can be found fragments of early Christian carved stones, recorded by the Corpus of Anglo Saxon Stone Sculpture:
Bradford on Avon 1, part of a cross shaft, dated to the ninth century, built into a display above the altar in 1970;
Bradford on Avon 2, part of a ninth century cross head, but listed as having been stolen in 2002;
Bradford on Avon 3, fragment of a cross head, dated to the ninth century (listed as now being in the private possesion of the Trustees of St Laurence's Church);
Bradford on Avon 4a-b, two figures of angels, built into the western side of the chancel arch; and
Bradford on Avon 5a-c, an eighth century carved slab in three pieces, now built into the altar.

More information, with features to look for, can be found in the short guide to the church at Saxon Church: Guide; this includes contact details to find out when the church is open (we understand it is open most days until 5.30pm, but please check as regular services are still held here).


You may be viewing yesterday's version of this page. To see the most up to date information please register for a free account.


St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Horatio : The church from the south east, showing the victorian buttresses used to keep the church standing once the school masters house was demolished! The outside is decorated with pilaster strips and blind arcading. There are signs that some of the windows were enlarged at some point within the AngloSaxon period. The west wall was carefully rebuilt to be in sympathy with the original stonework. Ther... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : The right hand facing angel, recorded as AS Corpus Bradford on Avon 5b. They were discovered embedded in a wall above the western side of the chancel arch around 1850, later used in a flue in 1856-1857, then placed over the porch leading to the modern house attached to the south side of the building. Both angels are carved from single blocks of stone, which taper from head to feet, with the angel... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : The exterior of St Laurence's Church (south wall with the south entrance). (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Horatio : A Roman stone sarcophagus in the grounds of St Lawrence's Church. Well off Romans where buried in coffins that had been cut from a stone, a monolith (a single block) for the body and another for the lid. These coffins where known as sarcophagi, from the Greek words meaning 'flesh-eater' in the belief, before knowledge of the decay process, that the coffin itself destroyed the body. Often the ... (Vote or comment on this photo)

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Horatio : The nave showing the west end where signs are that there might originally been a main door here. This photos shows the tall height in comparison to the floor plan as is seen in 'stone' Anglo-Saxon churches.

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Horatio : The view of from the north west with the north porticus (porch-wing) to the left. Dating of the building has been controversial it is generally agreed that stylistically it belongs to the late 10th or early 11th century. It was probably erected around the time of the first millennium in 1001, at the same time as King Aethelred II gave his manor of Bradford to the Abbey of Shaftesbury in Dorset....

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Horatio : Anne has done an excellent pictorial study of this place but here's a few to add her stock. This is inside the chancel with the fossilised wood above the alter (see Anne's pic for explanation and close up). The carved stones used for the reconstructed alter where all found around the church and date to the 8th century. The church is still used as a place of worship and is part of the netwo...

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : Close up of the fossilized wood, said to be 150 million years old. This forms the middle piece of the display over the altar.

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : The western side of the chancel arch. The altar can just be seen at the bottom, left hand side of the arch. The angels are towards the top of this wall (out of shot).

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : The font (no date given), located at the west end of the nave.

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : This slab, in three pieces, now built into the altar frontal, is recorded and described as AS Corpus Bradford on Avon 5a-c. It is dated to the eighth century, and was found in the nearby parish church of Holy Trinity, where the largest (central) panel served as a flat lintel over the south doorway (in a wall which was of late Norman date).

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : Face D of AS Corpus Bradford on Avon 1, showing "part of a broad stranded median-incised plait of which one knot survives".

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : Face B of AS Corpus Bradford on Avon 1, which has "part of a composition in which median-incised plain strands are interlaced with a pelleted strand which could be an animal body".

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : Close up of the front (western) face of AS Corpus Bradford on Avon 1. It measures 25.4cms high by 21.5-23cm wide and 11.5cms deep.

St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)
St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon) submitted by Anne T : The display above the altar. From top to bottom: The ring of Doulting Stone was carved by John Maine RA in 2012; he located the work above a piece of fossil tree -150 million years old (middle). Bottom is AS Corpus Bradford on Avon 1, part of a cross shaft dated to the 9th century. The Corpus describes this fragment as being badly broken and it was difficult "to be certain which where the broad an...

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.
Click here to see more info for this site

Nearby sites

Click here to view sites on an interactive OS map

Key: Red: member's photo, Blue: 3rd party photo, Yellow: other image, Green: no photo - please go there and take one, Grey: site destroyed

Download sites to:
KML (Google Earth)
GPX (GPS waypoints)
CSV (Garmin/Navman)
CSV (Excel)

To unlock full downloads you need to sign up as a Contributory Member. Otherwise downloads are limited to 50 sites.


Turn off the page maps and other distractions

Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 165m SW 226° Ladywell (Bradford on Avon)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (ST823608)
 2.0km W 264° Turleigh Trows* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (ST8044960725)
 2.4km W 262° Winsley Chambered Tomb (ST800606)
 3.5km NW 308° Jug's Grave* Round Barrow(s) (ST79696305)
 3.5km WNW 302° Conkwell stone circle* Stone Circle (ST79456280)
 3.7km WNW 297° Conkwell well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (ST791626)
 4.4km W 275° Shingle Bell* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (ST780613)
 5.2km NNW 337° Monk's Conduit (Monkton Farleigh)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (ST8036265692)
 5.6km WSW 252° Beacon Barrow (Somerset) Round Barrow(s) (ST77095920)
 5.7km WSW 257° Hill Farm Barrow (Somerset) Round Barrow(s) (ST76855969)
 6.4km NW 309° Bathampton Camp* Hillfort (ST77456502)
 6.5km WSW 256° The Giants Graves Cist (ST761594)
 6.7km NW 309° Bathampton* Standing Stones (ST772652)
 7.0km NW 304° Bathampton Round Barrow 2* Round Barrow(s) (ST76616489)
 7.5km N 8° Hazelbury Manor Menhirs* Modern Stone Circle etc (ST83476830)
 7.5km N 0° Becket's Well (Box) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (ST825684)
 7.6km S 187° The Devil's Bed and Bolster* Chambered Tomb (ST81495333)
 7.8km N 359° Box Rock Circus* Modern Stone Circle etc (ST823687)
 8.1km NW 308° Kensington Meadows Holed Megalith Holed Stone
 8.3km WNW 297° Sacred Spring, Bath* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (ST7505364726)
 8.4km WNW 299° Bath Postal Museum* Museum (ST7504564998)
 9.0km NW 322° Solsbury Hill* Hillfort (ST76876797)
 9.5km NNW 343° Three Shires Stones* Modern Stone Circle etc (ST7961070021)
 9.6km WSW 258° Twinhoe Stone Circle (ST730590)
 9.6km WSW 247° Stoney Littleton* Chambered Cairn (ST7349257208)
View more nearby sites and additional images

<< La Hougue Bie

Vleeshuismuseum >>

Please add your thoughts on this site

Children Of The Stones DVD

Children Of The Stones DVD

Sponsors

Auto-Translation (Google)

Translate from English into:

"St Laurence's Church (Bradford on Avon)" | Login/Create an Account | 0 News and Comments
  
Go back to top of page    Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
Your Name: Anonymous [ Register Now ]
Subject:


Add your comment or contribution to this page. Spam or offensive posts are deleted immediately, don't even bother

<<< What is five plus one as a number? (Please type the answer to this question in the little box on the left)
You can also embed videos and other things. For Youtube please copy and paste the 'embed code'.
For Google Street View please include Street View in the text.
Create a web link like this: <a href="https://www.megalithic.co.uk">This is a link</a>  

Allowed HTML is:
<p> <b> <i> <a> <img> <em> <br> <strong> <blockquote> <tt> <li> <ol> <ul> <object> <param> <embed> <iframe>

We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.