Brancepeth St Brandon

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Brancepeth St Brandon

[Population 1911: 448]

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The church of St. Brandon, Abbot of Clonfert, in Ireland, is a cruciform structure dating from the beginning of the 13th century, and consists of chancel with side chapels, clerestoried nave of four bays, aisles, low trancepts, north and south porches, and a plain western tower of Early English date, with small pinnacles and containing eight bells: the chancel (c.1375) is an extremely beautiful example of the transition from Decorated to Perpendicular, admirably illustrated in the mixed tracery of the windows: the panelled oak reredos is of exquisite design, one panel having upon it the badge of Prior Castell (1404-1510), "a winged and pierced heart": the communion table, a massive work of the same material, was the gift of Bishop Cosin, rector here from 1626: the eastern portion of the chancel is panelled in three stages, the upper stages terminating in lofty crocketed canopies rising nearly to the ceiling, which is flat and divided into panels by diagonal ribs, relieved at the intersections by bosses and pendants: towards the west and on either side are five stalls with misereres, all under a continous flat-topped canopy with unique foliated arches carried on shafts springing from the elbows; in front of the stalls are panelled subsellæ: on the south side is a wide semicircular arch and a small door: the chancel screen is an extremely rich, but light and graceful example of tabernacle work in five divisions, the finials of the three principal portions rising from a mass of crocketing and clustered pinnacles up to the mouldings of the arch above:in the centre are open traceried doors and within, disposed on either side, are six return stalls: on the north side of the chancel lies the recumbent effigy of a knight in a complete suit of mail covered with a cyclas, and wearing a long sword; on his left arm is a shield with the Nevill saltire and a label of five points; the figure represents Robert Nevill, who fell at the defence of Berwick against the Scots in 1319: on the south side of the chancel are the wooden effigies of Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland, who died in 1484, and his second wife, a daughter of Sir Reginald Cobham; the head of the knight rests upon that of a bull (the Neville badge), while round his neck and that of his lady are necklaces of the Yorkish emblem, the "rose en soleil;" at the head of each effigy are the remains of three sitting figures, while at the feet are remains of desks with open books and sitting figures; the effigies formerly rested on a high tomb in the centre of the chancel: in the north and south walls of the chancel and opening into the chapels on either side are hagioscopes, and there are two more of large size, one on either side of the chancel arch: above the chancel arch on the west side is a magnificent piece of panelling consisting of 27 square panes filled with geometric tracery of progressive character; the panelling is of oak painted white and once richly gilded: some have conjectured that this work was formerly part of the fittings of the celebrated Jesus chapel in Durham cathedral, and that it was brought here by George Cliffe, a monk of Durham, and rector of Brancepeth, on the dissolution of the monastery; above it is some oak panelling, enriched with heraldic and other devices, and surmounted by the royal arms, which was probably part of the ancient rood loft before the erection of the present screen in the 17th century: the nave is Early English, with Decorated arcades and clerestory and roof of late Perpendicular: the pews are all of dark panelled oak, and have carved ends: the pulpit is also of oak elaborately wrought, and over it is a sounding board, with richly worked canopy: the font, of Frosterly marble, is of plain design, but has a singular octagonal pyramidal cover: there are several memorial windows and some remains of ancient glass: the north porch erected by Cosin, had three doorways, panelled Ionic pilasters and a curious parapet: one of the butresses of the church retains some mutilated carving of 14th century date, and on the eastern gable of the nave is a sanctus bellcote: the church chest, a work of the Decorated period, is richly and boldly carved with foliage, elaborate tracery and grotesque figures: there are sittings for 250 persons. [Kelly's Durham Directory (1914) page 55.]

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