Nominal: 733 Hz Weight: 1609 lbs Diameter: 42.88" Bell 1 of 8
Founded by John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd 2003
Dove Bell ID: 946 Tower ID: 14288 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Brancepeth: St Brandon
Diocese of Durham
Church, 613016
http://www.stbrandon.org.ukOverview
Grid reference: NZ 224 376
The church is Saxon in origin, with some nave quoining surviving, now exposed and clearly visible after the fire. Aisled transeptal nave, west tower, and chancel, south chapel and north vestry, south and north porches. The church forms part of an attractive ensemble with Brancepeth castle.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Aisled transeptal nave, west tower, and chancel, south chapel and north vestry, south and north porches.
Dimensions:
Nave 23m (90ft) by 13m (40ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 586 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The church is Saxon in origin, with some nave quoining surviving. The church was enlarged in the 12th- and 13th-centuries, and extensively rebuilt and extended in the 14th- and 15th-centuries, serving as the church for the adjacent Brancepeth Castle, which in the Middle Ages was a stronghold of the Neville family; important Neville monuments remained in the church.
What made Brancepeth Church such a precious survival, both within the Diocese and County of Durham, and in the national context, was its complete set of magnificent 17th-century furnishings, for John Cosin was Rector here from 1626 to 1640, whilst also serving as a Prebend of Durham Cathedral, and leading his fellow-prebends and fellow-rectors in the diocese (Haughton-le-Skerne, Sedgfield, Easington, etc.) in beautifying their churches. Most of the elaborate furnishings at Brancepeth, - Gothic-survival in style, with some Jacobean elements, - including the chancel screen, choir furnishings and stalls, pewing in the nave and aisles, and font cover, - belonged to this pre-civil war period. At Brancepeth under Cosin, we have the precursor of what became the "Cosin Style", when as Bishop of Durham after 1660, he was directly associated with the new quire furnishings for Durham Cathedral, and the chapel fittings and furnishings for his castles at Durham and Bishop Auckland.
Exterior Description
The building comprises a clerestoried nave flanked by aisles which clasp the west tower, transepts (for which the third - eastern - bays of the nave arcades were added), chancel with a chapel to its south and vestry room to its north, and north and south porches towards the western end of the aisles. The historical development of the building is complex, with the remains of the Saxon west gable incorporated into the 12th-century lower stages of tower, and its upper stage probably of the 13th-century.
The nave arcades are early 13th- century, their eastern bays late 13th- or early 14th-century, when the transepts were added. The aisles were widened and extended to clasp the western tower in the 14th-century, while the chancel was rebuilt in the 15th- century, together with the south chapel. The north porch is dated 1630, essentially Jacobean, whilst the matching south porch was added in the 19th- century. All the main roofs were of low pitch, lead-covered, on timber structures, most of which seemed to have been medieval or 17th-century work.
Interior
Fixtures and fittings
Reredos
15th Century
Altar
Early to Mid 14th Century
South chaprel. Front made out of a Flemish chest by Thompson of Kilburn. Flamboyant tracery and monsters in three tiers in the horizontal strips at the sides.
Bells
Nominal: 1466 Hz Weight: 340 lbs Diameter: 24" Bell 2 of 8
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1888
Dove Bell ID: 12598 Tower ID: 14288 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1374 Hz Weight: 410 lbs Diameter: 25.5" Bell 3 of 8
Founded by John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd 2003
Dove Bell ID: 12599 Tower ID: 14288 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1230 Hz Weight: 454 lbs Diameter: 26.88" Bell 4 of 8
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1888
Dove Bell ID: 12600 Tower ID: 14288 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1099 Hz Weight: 543 lbs Diameter: 29.38" Bell 5 of 8
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1888
Dove Bell ID: 12601 Tower ID: 14288 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 977 Hz Weight: 674 lbs Diameter: 31.88" Bell 6 of 8
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1888
Dove Bell ID: 12602 Tower ID: 14288 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 924 Hz Weight: 835 lbs Diameter: 33.5" Bell 7 of 8
Founded by John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd 2003
Dove Bell ID: 12603 Tower ID: 14288 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 821.5 Hz Weight: 1060 lbs Diameter: 39.38" Bell 8 of 8
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1888
Dove Bell ID: 12604 Tower ID: 14288 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: NZ 224 376
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.
The churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
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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