Church Of St Eadburgha

Church of St Eadburgha, Broadway

Church. Built circa 1400, incorporating remains of the late 12th century and later periods. The building was restored in 1866. It is constructed of limestone ashlar and rubble with a stone slate roof and comprises a nave, north and south aisles, north and south transepts, a crossing tower, and a chancel.

Exterior

The west window, dating to circa 1400 but repaired, has four trefoiled ogee lights under a pointed head with Perpendicular tracery. The aisles have embattled parapets and each contains two windows and a central doorway. The western window of the south aisle has two cinquefoiled ogee lights under a flat head. The eastern window consists of two flat-headed lights. The doorway is moulded and pointed. The stonework shows traces of blocked openings. The windows of the north aisle have three cinquefoiled ogee lights under flat heads; the eastern window is a 19th-century restoration. The doorway is moulded and pointed.

The north transept, partly rebuilt in the 19th century, has a window of two trefoiled ogee lights under a pointed head with flowing tracery. The east wall contains a blocked opening with a flat head, and a doorway in the angle with the chancel leads to the stair turret of the tower. The south wall of the south transept contains a window of circa 1300 with three chamfered trefoiled ogee lights. The east window dates to circa 1600 and has three elliptical lights under a flat head.

The crossing tower has an embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. The bell openings consist of two trefoiled ogee lights under flat heads with hoods.

In the north wall of the chancel there is a window of two cinquefoiled ogee lights under a flat head. To its right is a blocked doorway with a round head, probably 12th century. To its left is a chamfered doorway of circa 1600 with an elliptical head. The south wall of the chancel has two windows of circa 1400 with flat heads and tracery—the western one has three lights and the eastern one has two lights. Between them are the remains of two 13th-century single-light windows. The east window has four cinquefoiled lights with Perpendicular tracery under a pointed head.

Interior

The five-bay nave arcades have round piers and responds with slightly pointed arches. The western arches are of two square orders, and the eastern arch on the south side is similar. The others are chamfered in two orders. All have scalloped capitals except for the western responds and the eastern pier on the north side, which have moulded capitals. The nave roof has arch-braced rafters and two plain tie beams.

The arches of the crossing tower are pointed and chamfered in two orders. The western wall of the tower, dating to circa 1400, slightly overlaps the first bay of the nave arcade. On the east side of each transept arch is a 12th-century respond remaining from the former east bay of the nave arcade, now occupied by the tower. Each has a capital added in the 15th century.

The chancel contains a moulded trefoiled piscina. In the south transept is another trefoiled piscina.

Wall monuments include one in the chancel to Walter Savage, died 1640, featuring strapwork, Corinthian columns, angels' heads, and a shield of arms. Against the east wall of the south transept is a monument of marble and slate to William Taylor, died 1745, by S Chandler, with composite columns and a segmental pediment.

The turned communion rails date to circa 1700. Attached to the north wall of the chancel is a wooden panel with carved tracery and eight ogee arches containing figures. The choir benches, transept screens, and pulpit incorporate some medieval woodwork including blind tracery carving. Close to the pulpit is a turned oak alms box of circa 1700. The font has a tapering bowl. Close to the north doorway is the hexagonal stem of another font with slender engaged shafts.