Parish Church of St Nicholas

Rector

Rev. John Rees

Priest in charge, Benefice of Rowde and Bromham

Telephone 01380 859646

Email: revjohnrees@btinternet.com

The Rectory

High Street

Bromham

Chippenham

Wiltshire

SN15 2HA

Latest information on Church events and services.

Historical Notes

St Nicholas Church in Bromham is considered to be one of the finest parish churches in Wiltshire. It was built in the traditional cruciform style (although the north transept may never have been built) and consists of chancel, nave, south transept, south aisle, porch with parvoise chamber above, Chantry Chapel, vestry and a central tower with spire.

The oldest part of the church in its present form dates from about 1100 with major additions in the 13th century and again in the 15thcentury when the Chantry Chapel was built. The Chantry Chapel is known variously as the Bayntun or Tocotes or Beauchamp Chapel and is currently undergoing extensive conservation work (see the Friends of Bromham and SandyLaneChurches).

The medieval Chantry Chapel attracts a large number of visitors from home and abroad each year who come to see its fine, painted ceiling, medieval stained glass and striking monuments. They also come to see the monument to the 19th century Irish poet and songwriter Thomas Moore, who is buried in the churchyard, and the nineteenth century stained glass window above the altar designed by Edward Burne-Jones and made by the William Morris workshop.

The Church and the Chapel are open to the public every day and printed information is readily available in various languages. A local historian will give guided tours by appointment. A toilet with disabled and mother and child facilities has been installed for the comfort of worshippers and visitors. The access for disabled visitors is currently under review with a portable ramp in the porch being available for access from the road. A hearing loop system has been installed and large print service sheets are available.

As a priest is recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) it is most likely that there was a Saxon church here. The Norman church was built in the early 12th century and consisted of a nave and chancel only. Of this part of the west and north walls of the nave remain. The church was rebuilt in the 13th century with a south transept and central tower while in the 14th century an aisle and porch were added on the south side. The octagonal font is of the 15th century. In the late 15th century the Tocotes chapel was built, containing rich furnishings of that century. In 1492 a license for a chantry chapel had been granted to Sir Roger Tocotes and Richard Beauchamp, Lord St. Armand, to be built on the south side of the chancel. The south transept was rebuilt in the same stlye as the chapel, which in the 17th century became the Bayntun Chapel. Also in the late 15th or early 16th century the upper part of the tower was rebuilt. The church suffered considerable damage during the Parliamentary period and extensive repairs were undertaken in 1661.In the 18th century a spectacular entertainment was provided by a steeple flyer who 'flew' down a rope stretched between the church steeple and a tree. Unfortunately the steeple did not stand the stress of the steeple flier and his board and was partially pulled down. It had to be rebuilt. 

In the early 19th century the south aisle and porch were partly rebuilt while in 1843 the box pews were removed, a vestry built and a new pulpit and stone reading desk provided. The west window is a memorial to the poet Thomas Moore (died 1852) who lies buried in the churchyard, commemorated by a Celtic cross. In 1865 the chancel was rebuilt as a replica of the earlier one. The six bells were recast in 1875 and the clock installed as part of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations in 1887. Little was done for the first half of the 20th century and in 1957 the first thorough cleaning for 50 years revealed many interesting features. The parish registers from 1566 (christenings) and 1560 (marriages and burials), other than those in current use are held in the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office. 

The Friends of Bromham and Sandy Lane Churches