Church of St George

Church of St George

This is a parish church at Brinsop, built in the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries with later alterations. It was restored between 1866 and 1867, and again after 1919 by the architect Sir Ninian Comper. The building is constructed of sandstone rubble with sandstone dressings and tiled roofs.

The church consists of a continuous four-bay nave and chancel with a north aisle and north vestry. There is a south porch and a western bellcote.

The west elevation features a recessed bellcote, probably of the early 20th century, with hanging tiles, a trefoil-enriched frieze, a pyramidal roof and weathervane. The west window has three stepped lights, the outer two being lancets beneath a two-centred arch with a label. A pair of weathered buttresses flank the window, with a further short tattered buttress to the left. The roof slope continues as a catslide over the north aisle.

The north elevation displays, to the right, a two-light window with a two-centred arch. Each light is cinquefoiled with a quatrefoil in the spandrel. A vestry of probably the late 19th or early 20th century sits to the centre, decorated with a foliated coffin lid on the right-hand return and an ogee-headed north window. The chancel aisle to the left has three stepped ogee-headed lights in its north window. The east window of the aisle is similar to that on the north side of the nave aisle. The east window of the chancel has three stepped lights, the outer two being lancets beneath a two-centred arch with a label. Two tall weathered buttresses flank this window, which is topped by a verge and gable cross.

The south elevation has three evenly spaced two-light windows to the right of the south porch, each with a two-centred arch and Y-tracery. Five weathered buttresses line this elevation. The south porch is perhaps of the 15th century and has been restored. It comprises two bays, each truss supported by arch braces; the central one features V-struts above a tie. The returns have an open upper range of panels with two-centred heads. The porch contains late 18th or early 19th century wicket gates. The south doorway has a moulded arch with two orders, a two-centred head, a label, and two pairs of pyramidal stops at the bases of the jambs. The door itself is 19th century with a ledged construction and enriched strap hinges.

The interior has a nine-bay roof to the nave and chancel with arch braces to collars, probably of the late 19th century. A heavy truss consisting of three posts to the collar with V-struts marks the liturgical division of nave and chancel and is probably of the 17th century. At the west end of the nave are restored beams resting on corbels beneath the bellcote. The aisle roof has close-set rafters producing a panelled effect.

The chancel contains a piscina with a continuous chamfer, two-centred head and quatrefoil drain. A recess in the north wall has a two-centred head and a richly carved early 20th century oak door decorated with Y-tracery vine-leaf and wheat motifs. The reredos dates from 1931 and was made for Hubert Delaval Astley and Richard Vincent Sutton. It is gilded alabaster with a central Crucifixion linked to outer figures by tendrils resembling those of a Jesse Tree. Attached to the top corners are a pair of metal statues, probably of gilded bronze, depicting St George and St Martin.

The chancel's east window contains two panels and several fragments of the 14th and 15th centuries. One central panel shows St George beneath a canopy with a poppyhead; another, above, depicts a saint in blue clothes. At the top of the window is a Virgin and Child, probably of the early 20th century. The south window, dated 1929, depicts the Shepherds and Magi and is dedicated to William Wordsworth. Painted foliage, ashlar lines and figures, possibly of the 14th century, appear to the east. A large gilded ceilure of the early 20th century sits above the altar.

The chancel screen, probably of the 15th century and much restored, has four panels to each side of the entry. The upper open panels have foliated and cusped tracery in their heads. Early 20th century cresting features gilded figures of the Crucifixion and four angels. A similar screen divides the chancel from the north aisle in the eastern bay of the arcade. The nave has three of its four bays of arcade with double-chamfered arches on cylindrical piers with octagonal abaci and part-octagonal responds.

The font has a tapered cylindrical bowl, possibly of the early 13th century, on a chamfered base. The stoup is of the 15th century, part-octagonal with quatrefoils in the side panels. A coffin lid, perhaps of the 13th century, stands against the west wall and has an incised circle and cross with a shaft emerging asymmetrically from the circle. Beneath the west window is a carved panel, probably of the 12th century, consisting of four birds set in roundels. Four brass plaques, all of the 18th century, commemorate members of the Donsey family. A floor slab raised against the wall marks the grave of Roger Donsey, died 1640. Remains of wall-painting depicting the Crucifixion, possibly of the 14th century, appear over the south door. A large monument on the south wall commemorates William Donsey, died 1708, and is of marble with an inscription surmounted by drapery, urns and swags, flanked by a pair of putti.

The pulpit, probably of the early 20th century, is of oak, part-octagonal with delicate linenfold panels, that to the west having additional flower motifs. The lectern, probably of the early 20th century, has an eagle on a crocketted and pinnacled shaft.

The west window, of the early 20th century and designed by Comper, commemorates three members of the Royal Flying Corps and depicts Christ carrying the Cross with heroes. The south-east window, dated 1927 and bearing Comper's strawberry-plant signature, commemorates Hubert Delaval Astley and depicts St Francis of Assisi. An adjacent window to the west commemorates W C Fowles, died 1881, and shows St George.

The north aisle contains excellent mid-12th century sculpture. The tympanum depicts St George and the Dragon with radiating voussoirs containing fish, angels, a bull and grotesques. Above the vestry door is a segmental arch with more 12th century voussoirs reset. To the south of the east window is a portion of rope-moulded carving, probably of the 12th century. Nearby is a small grey and white marble wall monument for Richard Dansey, died 1813, with an urn and apron. The organ is probably of the late 19th century, with an oak case, two manuals and exposed galvanised pipes, made by Harrison and Harrison of Durham and London. A north/south screen similar to those of the chancel stands beneath the east window, where two coffin lids, both probably of the 13th century, are displayed. One is exceptional, featuring a raised wavy foliated stem and intersecting circles forming a cross-head.

The north aisle's east window contains stained glass, probably of the early 20th century, depicting the Annunciation. The north-east window, dated 1875 and commemorating Dorothy, Mary and Dora Wordsworth, shows Saints Dorothy and Faith. The north-west window, dated 1873 and commemorating David Ricardo, grandson of the political economist of the same name, depicts the Holy Ghost and Blind Justice. The glazed quatrefoil of the spandrel above contains a small 14th century Christ in Majesty.

The Wordsworths and Ricardos had longstanding associations with the parish. Sir Ninian Comper designed the reredos, the figures on the chancel screen, several of the stained glass windows, the ceilure in the chancel and restored the east window.