| Summary : The Church of St. Lawrence is an 8th-10th century Anglo-Saxon Church. It was the site of an 8th century monastery founded by St Aldhelm, circa 705-10, and which was dissolved in 1001 when it was granted to Shaftesbury Abbey. There is increasing evidence that there was a minster at Bradford before and after the monastery was dissolved. The church is mainly 10th century, but older parts survive. Although documented by William of Malmesbury as a church circa 1125, the context suggests that the church was not the parish church at that time. It served as a charnel house for part of the Medieval period. From the 18th-mid 19th centuries, it was divided into a dwelling and school. It was restored in 1870. The church is one of the most important Saxon churches in England. |
More information : (ST 82416091) St. Laurence's Church (G.T.)
Monastery (G.T. (Rems.of) (1)
The Saxon church, dedicated to St.Laurence at Bradford, is 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. The Monastery was granted to Shaftesbury Abbey in 1001 and the church only is mentioned in 1125. The building seems to have been used as a Medieval charnel house and was later divided into a school and cottages in the 18th c. until the mid-19th c. when its importance was realised. It was restored c. 1870 and surrounding buildings have been demolished. A south porch has been revealed by excavation and burials found in the immediate area, known as 'Abbey Yard'. The church is now owned by the Wilts. Arch.Society
Trust. (2-5)
Correctly described, see G.Ps. (6)
Church of St Lawrence. 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. Saxon, C10. (Some authorities give C8 but present appearance suggests the later date.)
Consisting of:- Nave (25ft long x 13ft wide) Chancel (13ft long x 10ft 6in. wide) and north porch. Feature of building is its great height in relation to area. Coursed rubble with some ashlar, all roofs high-pitched with stone tiles. Nave exterior in 3 stages separatd by plain string courses and plinth course. Lower stage plain except for vertical pilaster strips joining plinth and string courses. Middle stage has arcading feature consisting of pilasters supporting surface decoration in form of semi-circular arches. Upper stage plain. East gable of nave shows traces of upper arcading with reedmoulded pilasters. South wall has narrow round-headed doorway with pilaster strips and imposts, and round-headed double-splay window in lower stage.
Chancel in 2 stages, lower with vertical pilasters, and has plinth and string courses with arcading in upper stages carried right round from nave. Double-splayed round-headed windows in south wall. Plain gable. North porch in 2 stages with plinth
and string courses, vertical pilasters but no arcading. Remains of reeded pilaster in gable. Narrow round-headed doorway with pilaster strip surround and imposts. Doorway off-set from centre of porch towards western wall. Interior plain with chancel floor at lower level than that of nave and chancel arch of typical Saxon type. Grade I. (7)
Considerations on the status of the site as a minster. (8)
Brief notes on its religious history. (9)
Excavation on the south side of the Saxon chapel successfully established the presence of an undercroft chamber beneath the floor of the former south porticus. Further work planned. (10-11)
Four fragments of Saxon carved stonework are present in the church. (Nos are Cramp's numbering):
1. Part of a 9th century cross-shaft built into a display behind the altar. It was found during the 1877 restorations.
2. Part of a 9th century cross-head, as No.1.
4. Two figures of angels are set over the chancel arch, dated to circa 1000. These were discovered embedded in the wall above the West face of the chancel arch during repairs to the scholrom circa 1850, but in 1856-7 were removed for the insertion of a flue, and for some time were placed over the porch leading to the modern house attached to the building on the South side. All commentators agree that these formed part of a Crucifixion scene.
5. An 8th century fragment now set as part of an altar frontal in the chancel or east porticus of the Saxon church. (12)
At the time of amending this record, online access to the designation information noted in source 7 for this building is available via the National Heritage List for England. (13) |