Description

SO 81 SW BROOKTHORPE-with- STROUD ROAD
WHADDON (west side), Brookthorpe

5/6 Church of St. Swithin
10.1.55

GV II*

Parish church. C13; north aisle added in 1892 restoration. Random
rubble limestone and ashlar; stone slate roof. Nave with north
aisle; west tower, south porch, north vestry and chancel. Moulded
pointed-arched central south doorway with C19 plank door; pointed
and slightly shouldered archway in parapet gabled porch with offset
diagonal buttresses and C19 restored trefoil-headed side windows;
C19 timber porch gates. Single 2-light C15 nave window either side
of south doorway, each with cinquefoil-headed lights, small
quatrefoil, and hoodmould, both restored; chamfered plinth stops
short of west end. North nave wall has gabled buttress at east end
with restored cinquefoil-headed lancet to right; right of this
buttressed north aisle with lean-to roof; 2 triplet windows with
relieving arch over each in north facing gable; cinquefoiled head
to east-facing aisle lancet and Cl9 chimney at junction with nave;
vestry continuous with aisle at west end with reused west facing
pointed-arched doorway. Parapet east nave gable, and parapet
gabled east chancel wall with small Early English lancet; narrow
pointed arched priest's doorway with plank door in south chancel
wall; ogee-headed C14 lancet to left and 2-light to right in
square-headed opening; 2-light Early English in north wall. Tower
of 2 stages with parapet gabled saddleback roof; C19 restored west
lancet; ogee-headed belfry openings except south-facing which has
shouldered arch; all with stone louvres; below belfry openings a
narrow slit.
Interior has been scraped, but partly replastered; 2-bay Cl9
pointed arched arcade to north aisle with central circular pier
having undercut moulded capital; stiff leaf carved labels to arcade
hoodmould; pointed tower arch; rood loft stairs to north of chancel
arch have round-headed narrow doorways; 3-bay C19 tie-beam truss
nave roof, each supported off restored stone corbels and having
cusped strutting; very thick cusped windbraces; Early English
chancel arch, with small pointed recess to south. Chancel has Cl9
raised floor with altar step; limewashed walls, C19 arcaded
reredos, and C19 restored piscina in north wall; C19 wagon roof.
C18 hexagonal fielded-panelled timber pulpit; carving around north
nave window by Eric Gill is memorial to Detmar Blow, died 1939; C17
chalice-shaped octagonal stone font; Baroque wall memorial in tower
to George Venn, died 1694; some late C18 and Cl9 marble memorials.
C19 stained glass to some windows. On wall plate of south porch a
carved chronogram commemorating the death of Charles I. Forms part
of tight visual group with Brookthorpe Court, (q.v.) and Old
Vicarage, (q.v.) (D. Verey, Gloucestershire: The Vale and the
Forest of Dean, 1976.)

Listing NGR: SO8350612266

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Swithun's Church, Brookthorpe at Wikipedia
• St Swithun's Church, Brookthorpe official website
• Wikidata Q7595501

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)