BRUSHFORD CHURCH
Church of England: Diocese of Bath and Wells: Exmoor Deanery
Parish church of St Nicholas
St Nicholas' Church
Although St Nicholas' church underwent 18th and 19th century restoration, it retains much medieval stonework and is one of the most interesting of churches in the Exmoor area. The oldest part of the church appears to be the south wall of the nave, which is probably 13th century. Its two windows were added around 1520. The bottom part of the tower is mid 15th century but the top half was rebuilt in 1742. The north wall of the nave was rebuilt in 1723 and the chancel in 1872.
One of the church's notable features is its beautiful chancel screen, in Perpendicular style and dating from about 1500. Amongst other features is the Norman font, made of Purbeck marble. This is square, with arches carved on each side. A group of pews at the west end date from Tudor times. There is also a hollowed-out chest and the village stocks are exhibited in the porch. In the south chancel window is some stained glass depicting the Virgin Mary. It is Renaissance French and was presented in 1925 as a memorial to Evelina, Countess of Carnarvon.
The church has two well known features. The first is the huge oak tree in the front of the churchyard. This is one of the oldest trees in the Exmoor area and was spoken of in Elizabethan times as 'the old oak.' For many years it spread much wider, with its long horizontal branches supported by wooden props. These have now been cut off. The second feature is the north chapel, erected in 1926 as a memorial to Aubrey Herbert. The very simple chapel has a cross-shaped window and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, a friend of the Herbert family. Aubrey's effigy is by Cecil Howard and above it hangs his sword. He was a well-known MP, diplomat and adventurer who was twice offered the throne of Albania. He was a friend of John Buchan, who used his character as the hero of his novel Greenmantle.
Services: There is usually a morning service each Sunday
Rector and Rural Dean of Exmoor: Rev John Thorogood, Tel 01398 323425
Curate: Rev Justine Woolley, Tel 01398 324051