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Stonehenge Sacred Symbolism - Ancient Beliefs in Britain and Northern Europe

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Bredwardine Church - Carving in England in Herefordshire

Submitted by AngieLake on Wednesday, 28 November 2018  Page Views: 2284

Multi-periodSite Name: Bredwardine Church Alternative Name: St Andrews Church Bredwardine, Sheela Na Gig Bredwardine
Country: England County: Herefordshire Type: Carving
Nearest Town: Hay on Wye  Nearest Village: Bredwardine
Map Ref: SO33484450
Latitude: 52.094826N  Longitude: 2.972415W
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.
4 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

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Anne T visited on 13th Jul 2021 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Brewardine Church (St Andrew's): A very pretty church, in a lovely setting, and we were very surprised to not only find it open, but a number of other visitors came and went whilst we were there. There is parking for a number of car in the small lane that runs up to the church, although most of the other visitors came on bicycles. In addition to seeing parts of the 12th century structure, a number of carvings and a Norman font on weird tripod-like legs, there is also a churchyard cross. We spent some time just enjoying being able to look round a church and its churchyard again after a good 15 months of not being able to do this. And in glorious sunshine, too!

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by AngieLake : Close up of possible Sheela-na-Gig on lintel above blocked North door of St Andrew's Church at Bredwardine in Herefordshire. Taken in 2011? while researching Rev Francis Kilvert. His diaries make very interesting reading. (He came from Wiltshire and visited a grand house near Kington Langley, where my gran lived, and worked at the time.) (Vote or comment on this photo)
St Andrew's Church, Bredwardine and Churchyard Cross

"Bredwardine sits just a few miles to the east of the Welsh border and twelve miles west of Hereford. This is a deeply rural area of quiet villages and ancient churches. For many people, Bredwardine will be known only as the resting place of Francis Kilvert. A rural curate at a number of churches in this area, he was rector in Bredwardine from 1877 until his death in 1879. He was an indefatigable diarist although sadly most of his diaries were inexplicably destroyed by his family."

"..........."
"Of much more interest is the blocked north door which has a heavily decorated lintel. The belief is that this is c12 and hence later than the nave itself. The south door also has a decorated lintel, also thought to be a later insertion."

One writer's opinion:
"The lintel of the blocked north doorway. The detail of the central motifs. It’s not possible to say what the left hand figure is but the right hand one certainly looks like a monkey. Some say it is a sheelagh-na-gig (a female exhibitionist figure) but this is a monkey not a person, so I don’t think it qualifies! In any event, sheelaghs usually have the hands holding open the pudendum and we can’t even be sure of the figure’s gender. Some church enthusiasts see sexual connotations everywhere...!"

See:
http://greatenglishchurches.co.uk/html/bredwardine.html
https://www.crsbi.ac.uk/site/252

"St Andrew's Bredwardine is a fascinating church of considerable antiquity, in a beautiful and peaceful setting above the banks of the River Wye. The south doorway and much of the nave date from the time of the Conquest, and the chancel was rebuilt after being partially destroyed by Owain Glyndwr's soldiers in 1406. Inside, notable features include a massive font, and the tombs of a gigantic knight, Walter Baskerville and a smaller effigy of Sir Roger Vaughan who died defending Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Another striking feature is the "bend" in the nave towards the altar, which means that the altar is not visible from all seats.
In the churchyard are the tombs of two notable residents (see "Famous Residents" link on left for more information) who lived in Bredwardine, albeit for a short time only, namely George Jarvis and the Reverend Francis Kilvert. The former's will set up the Jarvis Charity in the late 1700s, which still continues to generate intense debate in this area, while Francis Kilvert is known much more widely for his fascinating Diary, which shed light, humour and pathos on the hard life of the poor in Victorian Times. Kilvert ministered in St Andrew's from November 1877 until his untimely death in September 1879. Leaflets and booklets on the church and the area can be found in St. Andrew's."



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Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by AngieLake : The possible Sheela-na-Gig above the blocked North door at Bredwardine Church (St Andrew). Taken in 2011 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Antonine : April 2022 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Antonine (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : The blocked exterior north door with its intricate carvings on the lintel, which include "2 grotesque monsters", the right hand one aid to be a 'Sheela na gig' by the information board in the church. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Antonine : Carving in porch, March 2022 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : The early Norman font at the western end of the church, just inside the south door. It stands on three comparatively thin legs, which look as if they may not bear the considerable weight of the bowl (but they do!). The sign on top of the font reads: "The Font is early Norma in origin. In France the Normans constructed their Fonts from marble which was then polished to a high sheen. This Font is...

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : The rosette carvings, said to be 12th century, on the lintel above the south door. An information sheet in the church says that this stonework is tufa, a rock of 'calcareous origins'.

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Antonine : April 2022

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : Looking down into the eastern side of the cross base, the stones of which have split and have been joined by what looks like a relatively recent metal strap. Underneath the stone on top of the plinth, the square socket hole can be made out underneath.

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : The eastern side of the churchyard cross base at SO 33479 44481, looking west.

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : The churchyard cross, standing just south west of it, looking back towards the south wall of the nave.

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : The Bredwardine Churchyard Cross at SO 33479 44481, located just south of the nave. Photo taken standing almost next to the south wall of the church, looking south.

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : This medieval cross slab is located under the pew nearest to the chancel on the north aisle. The church information sheet made no mention of it.

Bredwardine Church
Bredwardine Church submitted by Anne T : Close up of the 2 grotesque monsters on the carved lintel of the blocked north door. 'Sheela na gig' or a monkey?

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 1.0km W 279° The Knapp (Bredwardine)* Ancient Village or Settlement (SO32454467)
 1.1km WSW 256° Chapel field Hillfort (SO32404425)
 1.5km SSW 192° Pentre House Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SO33154307)
 2.1km SW 228° Arthur's Stone* Chambered Tomb (SO3188843124)
 2.4km SSW 201° Dorstone Hill* Ancient Village or Settlement (SO32604230)
 2.8km S 184° Great Llanavon Farm* Long Barrow (SO3322441689)
 3.5km SW 230° The Golden Well (Dorstone) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO30804228)
 4.3km SE 141° Blakemere Church Stone* Marker Stone (SO362411)
 4.9km SE 130° Holy Well (Blakemere)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO37254128)
 6.0km SSE 161° Peterchurch St Peter's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO35333880)
 7.3km SSE 159° Poston Camp Hillfort (SO3598937647)
 7.3km WNW 293° St Peter's Well, Whitney on Wye* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO268475)
 7.9km SSW 202° Wern Derys* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SO30363726)
 9.4km SE 146° Timberline Camp Hillfort (SO387367)
 10.6km ESE 104° Holy Well (Swainshill)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO43724177)
 11.0km WSW 237° Twyn-Y-Beddau* Round Barrow(s) (SO2414838610)
 11.0km W 262° The Monk's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO225432)
 11.2km WSW 257° The Walk Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO225422)
 11.6km E 89° Credenhill Camp* Hillfort (SO451445)
 11.6km W 275° Crossfoot Farm Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SO21874573)
 11.7km SW 234° Maes-Coch Chambered Cairn (SO239378)
 11.9km WSW 246° Pen-y-Wyrlod* Chambered Tomb (SO22483987)
 11.9km SW 232° Pen Y Beacon* Stone Circle (SO23933735)
 12.1km SSE 152° Dunseal* Round Barrow(s) (SO391338)
 12.2km E 100° Holy Well (Garway)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO45554224)
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"Bredwardine Church" | Login/Create an Account | 2 News and Comments
  
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Re: Bredwardine Church by Anne T on Tuesday, 27 July 2021
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For more information: The church is recorded as Historic England List ID 1099515 and on the Herefordshire HER as SMR 1555.

The churchyard cross is recorded as Historic England List ID 1348905 and on the Herefordshire HER as SMR 1554.

No church guide was available at the time of our visit, but a short information display tells us: "It (the church) is clearly very old and the fact that it is built on a circular mound on top of a hill suggests that this has been a site for worship and burial since before the Christian era. It is likely that there was a Christian place of worship here from soon after Christianity reached these Islands. It is also likely that this was a 'Celtic' or 'British' foundation and not part of the 'Roman' church .... such an early Church would have been of timber construction and that therefore no visible remains can be seen today. There are a number of features indicating the nave is largey of Norman construction ..... Recently an expert has pointed out that some of the stonework, particularly at the corners, has been laid with its grain in the vertical plane rather than horizontally. In his opinion, this indicates a pre-Norman date."
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Re: Bredwardine Church's Devil's Door, 30th November, and Rev Francis Kilvert by AngieLake on Thursday, 29 November 2018
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In 'Exploring Kilvert Country' by Chris Barber, P.224, we read:
"Kilvert was offered the living of Bredwardine in September1877 when the Vicar, Rev. J. Houseman, died of a heart attack. Now 37 years of age, Kilvert must have felt that at last he had reached his goal, having waited so long for a living that really suited him. He was instituted to the living of Bredwardine on St Andrew's Day, 30th November, 1877."
(A bit of synchronicity there!)
................... (later in the text)
"... When his parents came to visit him at his new home in January 1878, Kilvert no doubt with considerable pride showed his father around the garden and church:-

'Showed my father round the garden and over the Church. He was much pleased with everything. The house and garden were much larger and more beautiful than he had supposed. Both he and my mother are delighted with the place. My father especially admired the old Norman 12th or 13th century work in the Church and more particularly the South doorway arch and the carving over the Devil's Door (the North door)."

Sadly his happiness was not to last, as despite finally being in a position to marry in August that year, only five weeks later, on 23rd September, the villagers' beloved Kilvert died of peritonitis.
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