| Summary : The ancient church of Bromborough, granted to the Abbey of St. Werburgh in 1152, was almost undoubtedly a perfect Saxon building, the greater part of which would have been erected by Aethelflaed, while part would appear to be of some earlier date to judge from some of the stones which were subsequently recovered. By 1827-8 it had reached such a state of delapidation that it was impossible to effect repairs, so it was demolished and a new building erected by a local mason, using the old material. This lasted only until 1863-4 when it, in turn, was demolished and a new church built just south of the site. At this point a number of sculptured stones were discovered including a slab and the base of a cross bearing Runic characters dating them to the 7th or 8th century. In the garden of Bromborough parsonage are kept the fragments of the base of a Saxon or early Norman cross: also fragments of about six others dating from late Saxon to the 15th c. They had been built into the walls of the church which was demolished in 1827. |
More information : [SJ 34918226] Site of CHURCH [G.T.] (1)
The ancient church of Bromborough, granted to the Abbey of St. Werburgh in 1152, was almost undoubtedly a perfect Saxon building, the greater part of which would be erected by Aethelflaed, while part would appear to be of some earlier date to judge from some of the stones which were subsequently recovered. By 1827-8 it had reached such a state of delapidation that it was impossible to effect repairs, so it was demolished and a new building erected by a local mason, using the old material. This lasted only until 1863-4 when it, in turn, was demolished and a new church built just south of the site. At this point a number of sculptured stones were discovered including a slab and the base of a cross bearing Runic characters dating them to the 7th or 8th c. In the garden of Bromborough parsonage are kept the fragments of the base of a Saxon or early Norman cross: also fragments of about six others dating from late Saxon to the 15th c. They had been built into the walls of the church which was demolished in 1827. (2-3)
A stone at SJ 34918225 bears an inscription:- "This stone is placed to mark the site of the chancel of the Old Anglo-Saxon Church (which was taken down in A.D. 1828)". There is no trace of the church. Mrs. Anderson has a photograph of 1882 of the cross fragments in the Rectory garden - see GP.AO/64/233/1. Most of them were lost in 1934 but three have been incorporated in a cross at SJ 34908221. This bears an inscription - "These fragments of a Saxon Cross ..... Re-erected 1958". See GP.AO/64/227/4. (4)
Eleven early Mediaeval fragments are recorded in detail:
Two conjoined fragments, together with a third, incorporated into a single monument in the church yard in 1958 (Scheduled, RSM27605). C10-11.
Part of as late C10-11 cross head found in 1863, but now lost.
An incomplete C10-11 slab found in 1863 but now lost.
An incomplete late C10-11 slab found in 1863 now lost.
An C11 round-headed grave-marker found in 1863 now lost.
A C10-11 grave marker found in 1863, now lost.
A C10-11 socket-stone now lost.
Two C10-11 fragments found in 1863, also lost. (6) |