Bromyard - Part 1: St Peter's Church

Last weekend we decided to return to Bromyard as B wanted to visit the Dr Who Museum.

Bromyard is a lovely little market town and we had a look around the Local Heritage Centre by the car park which was shut last time we visited. I could have spend a fortune on books and maps on Herefordshire!

As I'd been to the Time Machine Museum of Science Fiction when D and I visited last year I decided to visit the church of St Peter instead while B and D went to the museum.

Bromyard in the past was an important ecclesiastical centre and a minster was founded on the site around 840 AD The present St Peter's church replaced the earlier Anglo Saxon Church and dates from the late 12th century. The nave, chancel and transepts were constructed in 1175 and the north aisle added ~1200. Around 100 years later the chancel was extended. The church records were started in 1538 and are some of the earliest in England.

The rather splendid North Door is Norman

The South Door is also Norman.

It is believed the carving of St Peter holding the keys of heaven and the stone circle containing a consecration stone above the South Door are from the earlier Anglo-Saxon church.

One of the carvings around the door is a Green Man.

I found the church one of the most interesting I have visited so be warned there are a lot of photos!


The font is Norman carved with chevrons and joined spirals.

The West Window is known as the Musicians' Window and is dedicated to St Cecilia, the patron saint of music. It contains images of famous local people.

The 13th century Avenbury knight is a rare form of slab with an incised figure of a knight in armour and long surcoat. It used to be in Avenbury church which closed in 1931 and the slab was brought to Bromyard. The engraved knight may be Walter of Avenbury died 1242 or his son Oscott of Avenbury died 1277.

On the west wall is a copy of a Deacon's Synchronological chart which was drawn by Professor Edward Hall and published in 1890. It is around 7 metres long and shows biblical history in words and pictures of mankind from Adam and Eve until Queen Victoria. Sadly, I only took one photo of it!

The Bromyard Bushel which was used to measure dry goods, for example, corn, fruit and hops by volume rather than weight. It was cast in bell metal by John Martin from Worcester in 1670 and may once have been chained to a post at the Old Market House. It was given to the church in 1936 by a Dr Wells after being used as a garden water butt and a basket to store fuel for the fire!

All around the church and at times somewhat obscured are recesses in the walls which date from the 14th century and may once have contained coffins or effigies of important people.

This rather lovely window is in memory of Josiah Browne died 1924 aged 40 "a physician greatly beloved"

North Transept windows - the window is the oldest in the church and dates from before 1300 although the stained glass is from the late 1800's.

The organ dates from 1839 and was made by J W Walker.

Memorials in the Chancel

Also in the chancel are some charming wood carvings of animals and insects etc. - a butterfly, squirrels, beetle, birds, snail, harvest mice and possibly a frog.

There was a beautiful selection of kneelers all illustrating what appear to be local Herefordshire churches.

The East Window by AK Nicholson dated 1933.

Chapel of Remembrance which is sometimes called the Lady Chapel incorrectly as it has never been dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

The pulpit dates from 1883 and was built using wood from the original pulpit.

I can't resist another image of the Green Man.

After leaving the church I went to meet B and D for lunch before we went off to see the Ralph Court Gardens which I will leave until Part 2.



All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera


Reference: Leaflet available in the church on St Peter's Church, Bromyard and various information boards around the church