Bredy, Long

13 BREDY, LONG (D.e.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XXXIX, S.W. ^(b)XLVI, N.W. ^(c)XLVI, N.E.)

Long Bredy is a parish 6½ m. E. of Bridport. The church and the numerous earthworks, including a bank barrow and a long barrow (8) and a megalithic chambered long cairn (15), are the principal monuments.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1) Parish Church of St. Peter stands near the middle of the parish. The walls are of local rubble and flint with ashlar and dressings of local freestone; the roofs are covered with tiles. The Chancel was built about the middle of the 13th century. The Nave, North Transept and South Porch are of uncertain date, the evidence having been destroyed by restoration. The West Tower was added early in the 15th century. The South Transept was added in the 18th century but was much altered in the restoration of 1863 when the W. wall was removed and the adjoining South Aisle built, the N. transept and nave largely refaced and the Vestry added; the chancel was restored in 1841.

The chancel is of some architectural interest.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (28¾ ft. by 15¾ ft.) has a 13th-century E. window of three graduated lancet-lights with moulded external and internal labels and rear-arches; the splays have each a Purbeck marble shaft with moulded capital and base. In the N. wall are three windows of the 13th century; the two eastern have been altered c. 1400 into single trefoiled lights with square heads and labels but retain their original shafted splays and moulded segmental-pointed rear-arches and labels, continued along the wall as a string; the third window is similar internally, but is a lancet-light with rebated jambs and has been re-tooled; high up in the W. end of the wall is a small 15th-century blocked window of one trefoiled light and formerly lighting the rood-loft. In the S. wall are three 13th-century windows with splays, rear-arches and labels, similar to those in the N. wall; all have been altered, c. 1400, and are now of two trefoiled lights in square head and have been more or less restored; the 13th-century doorway has chamfered jambs, two-centred head and label. The chancel-arch is modern.

The Nave (57 ft. by 15¾ ft.) has been drastically restored. In the N. wall are an archway and two windows, all modern; the blocked 15th-century N. doorway has chamfered jambs and four-centred head. In the S. wall is a modern arcade and a modern doorway and window.

The North Transept (12½ ft. by 10½ ft.) has a modern N. window.

The South Transept (12½ ft. by 10 ft.) was added in the 18th century, but has a modern S. window and a modern arch in the W. wall.

The West Tower (11¾ ft. by 10¾ ft.) is of early 15th-century date and of three storeys, with a plain parapet and gargoyles. The tower-arch is two-centred and of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous and the inner springing from semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals. The W. window is of two trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a label and head-stops; the W. doorway has moulded jambs and four-centred head. The second storey has a single square-headed light in the W. wall. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two trefoiled lights and blind tracery in a square head with a label.

The South Porch has been completely restored and has a modern outer archway.

Fittings—Bells: four; 1st by Roger Purdue, 1627; 2nd 1627; 3rd by William Knight; 4th by Thomas Purdue, 1661. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In N. transept—on E. wall, (1) to Joseph Symes, 1830, and Elizabeth his wife, 1852, white marble wall-tablet by Lester, Dorchester; on N. wall, (2) to John Hurding, 1677, stone tablet with scrolls, shield-of-arms now on S. wall of vestry; in sill of window, (3) to John, son of Henry Hurding, 1717, painted inscription on recessed panel with scroll framing. In S. porch—on W. wall, (4) to Mary . . ., 1697, freestone tablet with side-columns, cornice, cherub-heads and emblems of mortality. In churchyard—E. of chancel, (5) to William Meech, 1692, and Joane, his wife, twin headstone; (6) to Miriam Brown, c. 1700, headstone; (7) to Mary Everet, 1703–4, and Richard Everet, 1717, twin head-stone; S.E. of chancel, (8) to Henry Barlew, 1669–70, and Judith his wife, 1688–9, table-tomb; S. of nave, (9) to Robert Trevet, 1708, headstone; S. of S. transept, (10) to Christian Dicker, daughter of Steven Wellman, and Homer her daughter, 1699–1700, headstone; S.E. of porch, (11) to Mary Wood, 1703, headstone; S. of porch, (12) to John Martin, 171., headstone; S.W. of nave, (13) to Jonathan Windsor, 1709–10, and Mary Windsor, headstone. Floor-slabs: In chancel—(1) to William Plowman, rector, 1712; (2) to Ralph Ironside, rector and archdeacon of Dorset, 1682–3, and Margaret his wife, 1682–3; (3) to Valentine Jefferie, [1701–2]. Piscina: In chancel—recess with moulded jambs and square head, 13th-century, partly blocked and no drain. Plate: includes a cup and cover-paten of 1570 and a cup and cover-paten, the latter with the date 1573.

^b(2)St. Luke's Chapel, nearly 2 m. S.S.W. of the church, was a mediæval building of which the W. wall and a fragment of the N.E. angle of a rectangular building (32 ft. by 18 ft.) survive. The W. wall retains the opening of the W. window, of which the N. jamb and the four-centred rubble head remain; reset in this wall are two carved head-stops probably of the 15th century. An altar-table of rubble has been built up in the chapel and set in the top is a slab with five crosses of doubtful age.

Secular

Monuments (3–6)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys. The walls are of local rubble and the roofs are covered with tiles and slates. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.

^a(3) Baglake Farm, house nearly 1 m. W. of the church, has a main S. block and kitchen added in the 18th century. The S. front is symmetrically designed and has a central doorway with moulded architrave, key-stone and flat hood on console-brackets. On the N. side of the house are three original mullion and transom windows with moulded reveals. Inside the building, the front block has several 18th-century fireplaces and two rooms are lined with panelling of the same period.

^a(4) Cottage, on the E. side of the road 300 yards S. of the church, was built probably early in the 18th century and has a thatched roof.

^a(5) Cottage, two tenements, on the W. side of the road 250 yards S.S.W. of (4), retains some original stone windows.

^b(6) Gorwell Farm, house over 2 m. S. of the church, has been largely rebuilt except for one wing with original stone-mullioned windows and fireplace. The barn, S. of the house, was built probably early in the 18th century and is of six bays.

Earthworks

^b(7) Park Pale, on the W. side of the parish about 1 m. S.W. of the church, forms an irregular enclosure, indeterminate on the N. The S.W., S. and W. sides are enclosed by a bank about 6 to 8 yards wide with an internal ditch.

^a(8) Bank Barrow, Long Barrow and Bowl Barrows on Long Barrow Hill ¼ to ½ m. N. of the church (575 ft.-612 ft. above O.D.). The Bank Barrow (56°mag.) is 645 ft. long and 69 ft. wide at the base. It is flanked by ditches 1½ to 3 ft. deep and rises 8½ to 9½ ft. above the bottom of the ditches at the N.E. end and 5 to 6½ ft. at the S.W. end; the axis of the mound has a slight deviation. The bank has been disturbed by a gap about 152 ft. from the N.E. end. The Long Barrow (316° mag.), 220 yards S.E. of the bank barrow, is 116 ft. long and varies from 42½ to 51½ ft. wide at the base. It has flanking ditches and its height varies from 3 to 5½ ft. The broader and higher end is towards the S.E. The remaining barrows are seven in number, (a), 40 yards S.E. of the long barrow, is 54 ft. in diam. and 2 ft. high; it has remains of a ditch and the top has been much disturbed and now forms a sinking. (b), on the S.E. flank of the bank barrow, is 56 ft. in diam. and 5 ft. high and has a ditch; the top has been disturbed. (c), 60 yards S.W. of the end of the bank barrow, is 27 ft. in diam., 2½ ft. high and has a slight ditch. (d), 100 yards E. of the N. end of the bank barrow, is 35 ft. in diam. and 3 ft. high. (e), 70 yards N.E. of the end of the bank barrow, is 30 ft. in diam. and 4 ft. high. (f), 120 yards N.E. of the end of the bank barrow, is 36 ft. in diam. and 3½ ft. high. (g), 50 yards N. of the end of the bank barrow, is 32 ft. in diam. and 2½ ft. high; the middle has been disturbed.

^a(9) Barrows, N. of the road-junction on Martin's Down about ½ m. N. of the church, are four in number. (a) bowl barrow, 60 yards E. of the road-junction, is 62 ft. in diam. and 10 ft. high. (b) probably a bell barrow, 100 yards W.N.W. of (a), is 90 ft. in diam. and 6 to 9 ft. high; the middle has been disturbed; there are traces of a ditch. (c) probably a bell barrow, 45 yards N.W. of (b), is 75 ft. in diam. and 5 ft. high; it has a ditch. (d) perhaps a bowl barrow, 260 yards W.N.W. of (c), is approximately 40 ft. in diam. and 3½ ft. high; it has been ploughed.

^a(10) Mound, probably a barrow, 60 yards N. of the road and 1,150 yards N.E. of the church, is 48 ft. in diam. and 2 ft. high. The middle has been disturbed.

^a(11) Bowl Barrow, ¼ m. E.N.E. of the church, is 41 ft. in diam. and 4 ft. high.

^a(12) Barrows, two, towards the W. side of the parish and 1,200 and 1,550 yards N.W. of the church respectively. The more southerly (a), bowl barrow, is 48 ft. in diam. and 4 ft. high; it has been disturbed on the E. side. (b), 370 yards N.W. of (a), has been almost ploughed out.

^a(13) Bowl Barrow, 650 yards N.N.E. of North Barn and over 1 m. N. of the church, is 88 ft. in diam. and 4 ft. high.

^b(14) Mound, 1½ m. S. of the church, is roughly rectangular with rounded angles, 96 ft. long and 56 ft. wide.

^c(15) The Grey Mare and Her Colts, megalithic chambered long cairn (315° mag.), over 2¼ m. S.S.E. of the church, comprises the remains of a burial-chamber screened by standing stones, apparently originally arranged on a shallow crescentic plan to form a façade fronting on to a forecourt, set at the wider end of a roughly triangular cairn which has traces of a surrounding peristalith of stones. The cairn is earth-covered and much overgrown (O.S., Neolithic Wessex, No. 142. Dor. N.H. and Arch. S., Proc. LXVII, 30).

The burial-chamber is formed of upright stones on three sides, with a capstone which has slipped sideways and obscures the fourth side. The S.E. or front wall consists of one large slab, 6 ft. 6 in. wide, standing 6 ft. high; the stones of the other two walls are some 4 ft. less in height. The forecourt setting of stones, which appears originally to have formed an arc measuring approximately 35 ft. along the chord and 7 ft. in depth, centres on the tall S.E. stone of the burial-chamber. One stone remains standing immediately to the S.W. of the central stone and set at a shallow obtuse angle to it; ploughing has obliterated all traces of any other stones there may have been further to the S.W. To the N.E. another smaller stone stands beside the central stone, and 5 ft. beyond is a recumbent slab, 4 ft. wide, which probably stood 5 ft.–6 ft. high.

The cairn is now 75 ft. long, 41 ft. wide across the S.E. end, narrowing towards the N.W., and 4 ft. high at the highest point N.W. of the chamber. There are no traces of ditches. The peristalith is represented by two stones only, towards the S.E. end, projecting less than a foot above ground.

^c(16) Barrows, two, near (15). (a), 260 yards S. of (15), is 52 ft. in diam. and 2½ ft. high; it is under the plough. (b) bowl barrow, 330 yards E. of (a), is 54 ft. in diam. and 2½ ft. high.

^a(17) Standing Stone, 270 yards N. of the N. end of the bank barrow (8), is a rough block 6½ ft. high, 9 ft. long and 2½ ft. thick.

^a(18) Dyke about 20 yards S.W. of the end of the bank barrow (8) and running approximately N.W. to S.E. The bank is about 16 ft. in width and 1 ft. high; it has a ditch on the N.E. side and curves slightly to the S. It extends for about 250 yards across a ridge.

^a(19) Lynchets, on the W. side of the parish over ¾ m. W.N.W. of the church, form an angle with the contours. The terraces are from 7 to 15 yards wide.

^a(20) Lynchets and Enclosures on a flat-topped knoll about ¹/8 m. W.S.W. of the church; the lynchets follow the contours on the S.E. slope, the enclosures on the top are small and possibly of later date.

^a(21) Lynchets, 300–400 yards S.S.E. of the church, on the W. and S.W. slopes of a spur, are much worn but in places form three terraces utilising natural scarps.

^a(22) Lynchets, approximately ¼ m. S.S.W. of the church, consist of four slight scarps which probably formed part of a cultivation system.