The Saxon Church, St Laurence Bradford On Avon Over 1000 years old

[@havingalook2]

Excellent - it is on my list to visit summer 2025! Lovely quick review and very informative. Cheers

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you. There’s plenty to see in Bradford on Avon.

[@woodmason]

I received Holy Communion at a weekday service in this church.

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you for your comment.

[@garryferrington811]

Built around the year 1000! The old girl is holding up pretty well. I assume the roof was replaced relatively recently.

[@rolandstravels]

I think it was restored around the late 19th century.

[@DylisMort]

Visited this lovely building ,fasinated ,so old so simple.

[@rolandstravels]

It would be hard to imagine many things built today lasting so long! Thank you for your comment and for watching.

[@jurijradovich]

@@rolandstravels Is the main hall designed for the Roman Catholic Mass abandoned and blocked up inside by massive stone wall instead of entrance? What we see inside today is rather a small side chapel, not a church's hall and not a central altar.

[@rolandstravels]

It is Saxon and so very different to later churches.

[@rolandstravels]

@ This is a very simple Saxon church and nothing like the ones that came later in time.

[@johnmulvey5121]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you for commenting and letting me know that you found the video interesting.

[@anderson49anders]

Wonderful to see this. Thanks Roland.

[@rolandstravels]

My pleasure!

[@ColinOBear]

very interesting little video - another place to consider a trip to see.

[@rolandstravels]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for leaving a comment. I have another Bradford on Avon video coming soon, shot on the same day.

[@magnusmitchell6801]

I absolutely love the blind arches❤ Thank you to all those individuals who strove to preserve this architectural gem.

[@rolandstravels]

Thanks for taking the time to comment. It’s great to hear from you.

[@yvonnepetty3400]

Hi Rolan. We used to take our Children there & Visitors. When we lived in B O A. Beautiful place. Thanks 🇿🇦

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you Yvonne. I have another Bradford on Avon video that needs editing and uploading. Stay tuned!

[@Demoiselle21]

Thank you, l am always very interested in our history and your video is like having a personal guided tour. Have just subscribed.

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you for your lovely comment. It’s my pleasure to welcome you as a new subscriber to my channel. I have another Bradford on Avon video to edit and publish soon.

[@HimInChurch]

Nice video, Roland

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you. It’s lovely to hear from you.

[@TheTimeDetective42]

I was in this, very interesting Romanesque building.

[@rolandstravels]

It is interesting. Thanks for your comment.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

Pre-Romanesque - Romanesque being Norman.

[@turbo.panther]

Let's hope it is still standing in another thousand years.

[@rolandstravels]

There’s more chance it will than newly built property today!

[@garryferrington811]

A bit sarcastic, but maybe not wrong!

[@rolandstravels]

Apparently new build houses by large developers are built with an expected life of 70 years before major work will be required.

[@stirlingmoss9637]

Interestingly, the Church of St Lawrence at Caterham in Surrey is ancient too, dating from 1095 although it used to be said that parts were Saxon. Fascinating tour. Thanks.

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you. There are many churches with Saxon remnants. The Victorious were notorious for remodelling or renovating churches, destroying much in the process!

[@jameswalksinhistory3848]

Great video Roland

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you, James.

[@llywrch7116]

Are the houses around this Saxon church new? IIRC when I visited this church in 1984, it was isolated in a field. Or maybe I visited the wrong church to the west of Bradford on Avon?

[@Wotsitorlabart]

You definitely visited a different church.

[@rolandstravels]

You definitely visited a different church. The houses around it are very old. This church is close to the River Avon near the town centre and surrounded by property and the main church is across the road.

[@samdevries6280]

So this very old church was build maybe just before the Norman invasion of the year 1066?

[@rolandstravels]

Quite a while before - circa 1000 AD

[@samdevries6280]

@ oh, that’s very old, there are not so many buildings anymore from this time period.

[@rolandstravels]

@samdevries6280 It is indeed!

[@1258-Eckhart]

The typically Saxon blind arcade on the south wall has false columns known as pilasters (not pillars, which are always loadbearing). I have also heard the term lesene, but nobody uses it.

[@rolandstravels]

Thank you for your comment and providing the correct term for what are designed to look like pillars.

[@garryferrington811]

Pilasters is right. Haven't thought of that term in a half-century.

[@magnusmitchell6801]

I think this is shown in Pevsner

[@rolandstravels]

I think you’re right.

[@julianguffogg]

Visited recently and was rather disappointed.

[@rolandstravels]

It depends what you expect from something that’s a thousand years old. Thank you for your comment.