Church Of St Lawrence

BRADFORD ON AVON

875/2/15 CHURCH STREET 18-APR-52 (North side) CHURCH OF ST LAWRENCE

GV I

This building is of exceptional archaeological value and until the discovery, in 1856, of its ecclesiastical origin by Canon Jones of Bradford, had been in use as a "skull house" and then as a free School. Saxon, C10. (Some authorities give C8 but present appearance suggests the later date.) Consisting of:- Nave (25ft long x 13ft wide) Chancel (13ft long x 10ft 6in. wide) and north porch. Feature of building is its great height in relation to area. Coursed rubble with some ashlar, all roofs high-pitched with stone tiles. Nave exterior in 3 stages separated by plain string courses and plinth course. Lower stage plain except for vertical pilaster strips joining plinth and string courses. Middle stage has arcading feature consisting of pilasters supporting surface decoration in form of semi-circular arches. Upper stage plain. East gable of nave shows traces of upper arcading with reedmoulded pilasters. South wall has narrow round-headed doorway with pilaster strips and imposts, and round-headed double-splay window in lower stage. Chancel in 2 stages, lower with vertical pilasters, and has plinth and string courses with arcading in upper stages carried right round from nave. Double-splayed round-headed windows in south wall. Plain gable. North porch in 2 stages with plinth and string courses, vertical pilasters but no arcading. Remains of reeded pilaster in gable. Narrow round-headed dooorway with pilaster strip surround and imposts. Doorway off-set from centre of porch towards western wall. Interior plain with chancel floor at lower level than that of nave and chancel arch of typical Saxon type.

All the listed buildings in Church Street the Chantry Little Chantry, Barton Orchard and the Catholic Church of St Thomas More, Market Street form a group with Nos 7 and 9 to 19 Barton Orchard, Nos 5 and 6 and 27 to 31 (consec) and wall Newtown.

Listing NGR: ST8241860915