St. Britius' Church, Brize Norton
St. Britius' Church at Brize Norton dates mainly from the 13th century, but retains 12th-century fabric in the south walls of the nave and chancel (including two doorways) and has a 12th-century font. The nave's south doorway has three orders of chevron, a chequered tympanum with foliage motif, and cushion capitals with birds; the font has blind arcading. In the early 13th century the unbuttressed west tower, south porch, north aisle, and north-east chapel were added. The aisle has a plain, four-bay arcade, which was constructed within the width of the 12th-century nave, and plain lancets. Decoration of the early 13th century is Transitional in character: the tower has a figurative corbel table, and in the chancel is a pair of arches ornamented with dogtooth. (The arches are of unknown origin and have shutter fittings. They were later converted into an opening to the north-east chapel.) The north aisle may have been dedicated in the Middle Ages to the Virgin. In the 18th and 19th centuries the aisle (and more particularly the north-east chapel) was associated with the owners of Astrop and Caswell, who were responsible for its repair. Considerable modifications were made to the church in the last quarter of the 13th century. The tower and chancel arches were enlarged; a fine window, doublearched internally, was inserted in the south wall of the nave; and the east end was remodelled: a Bampton-type window, incorporating a stepped sedilia and piscina, was inserted on the south side of the chancel, and a similar window on the north-east side (now mostly 19th-century) may be contemporary. In the 14th century some windows in the north aisle were replaced, and a three-light window probably with reticulated tracery was placed in the east wall of the chancel. A rood screen and sanctus bellcote on the gable above were provided in the 15th century. In the mid 16th century furnishings included a high altar, St Nicholas altar, rood light, and probably a Trinity light or altar. A lamp in the church had been endowed with land worth 4d. per annum. Between the late 16th and mid 19th century alterations mainly involved changes in fittings and decoration. In 1606 John Yate gave an annual rent charge of 5s. from two houses for the church's use, and in 1621, 20s. was bequeathed for paving the middle part of the church. In the 17th or 18th century the south-west chancel window was replaced by a long rectangular one, and box pews were fitted. In 1756 it was ordered that the Ten Commandments and scriptural sentences should be written on a wall. At unknown times two large, square pews and a western gallery were apparently intruded; the latter, in 1860, featured bright blue panels. It was reported in 1801 that the church was undergoing substantial repair, and the nave was repaved in 1815–16. Yet in 1819 an author considered the church to be in a lamentable state, especially the north aisle where the lower parts of the walls were covered with green slime. The churchwardens however declared in 1820 that the building was in good repair. A stove was installed by 1849 and piping was also mentioned in 1853. The stove was replaced in the early 1890s. By 1860 the church was certainly dilapidated. The chancel roof had sunk into a dangerous position and walls were cracked. The vicar, George Fereman, also considered the interior to be 'mean, cold and desolate'. Restoration plans were prepared by 'Mr Buckler' (presumably J.C. Buckler) in 1860, but were lost during 1861–2 at Christ Church. The chancel was 'entirely rebuilt' in 1866, and the remainder (except the tower) was extensively restored in 1869 by Mr Grove of Milton to plans by G.E. Street. Most of the walls were rebuilt, the roofs were replaced, and the north-east chapel was opened to the chancel to create an organ chamber. The east window and west window on the south nave wall were replaced. Floors were lowered and new pews were provided. The church was re-opened in September 1869. A harmonium was introduced by 1870, and an organ (probably replacing the harmonium) in 1881. The chancel was painted in the early 1880s, and in 1893 C.E.G. Gray of Cambridge added the Annunciation, St Frideswide, and St Britius. (The side walls were partially painted over in the late 20th century.) Thereafter only minor alterations were made to the fabric. The aumbry's oak doors were replaced with an iron door in 1940 and a sanctuary light was provided. Electric lighting was installed in 1944, electric heating in 1948. A recess in the north-east chapel contains a monument to Sir John d'Aubigny (d. 1346). His effigy is carved in relief as if emerging from each end of a coverlet decorated with shields. The monument was moved there in 1886 from the north aisle, where there had once been other gravestones. On the chapel's north wall is a mural brass, with a verse in English, to Ann Summers (d. 1631). A stone memorial on the south wall, featuring a shield and three men with clubs, commemorates Eleanor Woodd and her daughter-in-law Esther (both d. 1664). Three marble slabs in the chancel commemorate members of the Greenwood family: principally Thomas (d. 1679), John (d. 1712), and Charles (d. 1721). Most church plate dates from the 19th century, including a medieval-style chalice and paten (1892). Other items include a silver pyx of 1931. The predecessor of one of the bells was cast in Wokingham (Berks.) c. 1350. Bells were mentioned in the mid 16th century and a peal in the mid 18th century. It possibly consisted of four bells, two of which were recast in 1844–5, and one of which was reported cracked in 1855–6. In 1860 a service bell was also installed in the tower, which remained in 2003. In 1873, following the church restoration, a new frame with fittings for five bells was installed in the tower. A tenor bell of 1679 was retained, one bell was recast, two new bells were acquired, and in 1881 the 14th-century bell was recast. A treble bell was added in 1884, making a ring of six, and a donated sanctus bell was placed in the roof turret in 1893. The churchyard contains two bale tombs, and formerly contained a cross. It was closed for burials at the end of 1866. The churchyard wall was substantially repaired and rebuilt in 1878. In 1955 the churchyard was reduced on its northern and eastern sides to provide land for road-widening. A new burial ground, southeast of the church across the main road, was consecrated in October 1866. It was extended in 1928, taking in land donated by Christ Church. The road-widening scheme of 1955 included the moving of sixteen 19th-century graves from the churchyard to the cemetery. Registers date from 1538, though events are not recorded regularly until the 1560s. Historical information about the St. Britius' Church is provided by Christina Colvin, Carol Cragoe, Veronica Ortenberg, R B Peberdy, Nesta Selwyn and Elizabeth Williamson, 'Brize Norton: Religious history', in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 15, Bampton Hundred (Part Three), ed. Simon Townley (London, 2006), pp. 237-245. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol15/pp237-245 [accessed 3 April 2023]. St. Britius' Church is a Grade II* listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST BRITIUS, Brize Norton - 1368227 | Historic England. For more information about St. Britius' Church see Brize Norton: Religious history | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk). |
