Through the centuries

The Tower. This was built in the 14th century. At first it reached only to the first course, the upper part and the external buttresses being added a little later. The west doorway is even older than the tower. It is thought to have been built originally into another part of the Church, and subsequently moved to its present position; possibly it formed the west door of the ancient building before the tower was put up. It is a small pointed doorway of the 13th century, and is best seen from the outside of the Church.

The spire is short and octagonal. The precise date of its building is uncertain, but the parish records of 1617 mention repairs to spire, and these are repeated in 1660.

The Chancel. The presence or absence of a chancel in the early Norman Church is unknown, and the date of its building is obscure. A chancel was certainly there in the 16th century, for the Wayte's Court Chapel was built alongside it. Supporting evidence, too, is the presence of bases to the pillars in the chancel similar to those on the south side of the nave.

An ancient altar-stone stands on the north side of the Sanctuary. Its origin is uncertain; it is believed to have come from the old Priory of Limerstone, situated about half a mile from Brighstone on the road to Shorwell. When this fell into disuse, it is thought that the stone was transferred to Brighstone, where it formed the altar in the original Limerstone Chapel in the Church. It was found, buried near the Church, at the time of the restorations in 1852, having lain there for close on three and a half centuries.

Much of this information has come from pages on the rootsweb web site.


 

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