Weight: 496 lbs Diameter: 29.25" Bell 1 of 3
Founded by William Seller 1674
Dove Bell ID: 51540 Tower ID: 18675 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Brigsley: St Helen
Diocese of Lincoln
Festival Church, 621573
http://walthamgroupchurches.co.ukOverview
Grid reference: TA 254 18
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower with entrance at ground level, 3-bay aisleless nave, 2-bay chancel.
Dimensions:
[Approximate] Nave 7m (23ft) x 5m (16ft), chancel 7m (23ft) x 4m (13ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 119 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
A list of rectors inside St Helen's dates back to 1290. The church is thought to have Saxon or early Norman foundations with the tower dated to the 11th century (with 14th century belfry, 15th century battlements and 18th century gargoyles) with 13th century arcades (now blocked), an early 14th century chancel, and windows, clerestory and parapet dated 14th-15th centuries.
In 1796 the north and south aisles were removed and the arcades blocked. Georgian style windows with wooden glazing bars were inserted. Further restorations were undertaken in the 19th and 20th centuries. A plaque on the north wall records the restoration of the chancel in 1961 when both nave and chancel were re-roofed.
Brigsley is a small village which was probably a medieval settlement. A neolithic polished stone axe has previously been found in the village. The site of the church is of high archaeological potential. Although there are no known designations relating to the ecology of the site, the church is understood to host bats.
Exterior Description
St Helen's is a small church raised on high ground. A 2-stage square battlemented west tower with gargoyles at the corners is visible on approach. Different stones used during different phases of construction and restoration have left a patchy exterior appearance.
The tower has 2-light pointed tracery windows on each side set beneath hood moulds with a moulded stringcourse above and below. The north and south elevations of the nave are partly rendered and supported by buttresses between the bays rising to clerestory level. The south side has three sets of 3-light square-headed wooden windows with leaded glazing. A single Gothick style leaded glazed window to the north. The blocked arcades can be identified within the masonry. The clerestory contains two 2-light square-headed windows to north and south sides.
The chancel is considerably lower than the nave. There are two 2-light windows in the north and south walls and a 3-light east window. The east gable is of brick and a filled in higher chancel arch projects beyond the roofline of the chancel. A simple red brick chimney climbs the south-east nave wall. A blocked priest's door can be seen in the south west chancel wall. A masons mark can be seen at the bottom of the north lintel of the west door.
Building Fabric and Features
Tower (component)
11th century west tower with entrance at ground level
Nave
13th century 3-bay aisleless nave
Chancel
14th century 2-bay chancel
Building Materials
Chalk
11th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 20th
Chalk
Cobble
11th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 20th
Cobbles
Limestone
11th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 20th
Tealby Limestone
Lincolnshire Limestone
11th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 20th
Lincolnshire Limestone
Slate
11th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 20th
Slate
Stone
Mixed chancel - chalk on ironstone plinth, nave - ironstone, some limestone, some rendered (cement render on south side), tower – mixed including ironstone, limestone, cobbles and chalk
Tile
Mixed Slate roof to nave with round clay ridge tiles and pantile roof tiles to chancel.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is accessed via a west door in the base of the tower. The space within is small and low with steps to the south accessing the tower above. The nave is entered via a door directly in line with the main entrance. The interior is covered by a high king post truss roof structure. North and south walls are plastered and white-washed and reveal traces of the former arcade piers. The west wall is bare stone. A high round-headed Norman tower arch can be seen in the centre with commandment boards either side. Remains of wall paintings are noted to survive around the tower arch. The area above the simple entrance is boarded with plywood, also blocking an 18th-century balustraded gallery.
A black marble memorial stone fills much of the central aisle and is covered by a plastic protector. Wood pew platforms either side of the aisle are covered in rush mats and seating is provided by stained pitch pine pews, post 1894. The south west corner is separated by a curtain to provide a vestry.
At the east end, the chancel is accessed through a lower chancel arch set beneath a high, pointed 13th-century chancel arch. The roof is a modern king-post structure. The chancel floor is carpeted. The level of the central section (choir) is dropped by one step, here carpet is laid over red industrial bricks. The sanctuary is then raised by a step. A sedilia is set into the north wall and a piscina set into the south wall. Grey painted Georgian panelling against the east wall acts as a reredos. The chancel retains pointed windows containing tracery of intersecting, geometric and reticulated designs under hoodmoulds.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century Victorian arched wood table
Pulpit
18th century late Georgian pulpit with tester on 2 fluted pilasters, wood painted grey
Lectern
19th century Victorian gothic oak pedestal with blind tracery containing pierced trefoils
Font (component)
15th century octagonal font with 20th century oak cover with brass dove
Rail
18th century late Georgian communion rails with turned balusters, painted grey
Organ (component)
20th century replacing 1890 pipe organ
Bells
Weight: 606 lbs Diameter: 30.88" Bell 2 of 3
Founded by Mellours (generic)
Dove Bell ID: 51541 Tower ID: 18675 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 688 lbs Diameter: 33" Bell 3 of 3
Founded by William Seller & Humphrey Wilkinson 1682
Dove Bell ID: 51542 Tower ID: 18675 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
parchment registers
Churchyard
Grid reference: TA 254 18
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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