The Friends of St. Andrew's Bemerton

Inside St. Andrews Church

Interior - looking East

The interior looking east, with the pews and low chancel rail

Interior - West End

The west end, with the 1933 window depicting Ferrar and Herbert

St. Andrew's is a small single room chapel, seating about 30 people. Once it would have had bare earth, but now it has a wooden floor, and raised stone chancel. Most of the structure has been replaced over the years, but the south wall, church door and bell are certainly from Herbert’s time. In the north wall there is a medieval arch, in which there is now a display board listing all the past Rectors from 1344 onwards. In the south wall there is a small portal, possibly a 'lepers' squint'. The oak panelling and chancel rail are later additions.

Modern alterations include the west window in 1933, picturing George Herbert and his friend Nicholas Ferrar. The pews were put in in the 1960’s. The altar frontal was designed by Jane Lemon and worked by the Sarum Embroiderers Guild in the 1980’s. It illustrates Herbert's poem 'The Flower'.

Lepers' Squint

The 'lepers' squint' in the south wall

Roll of  Past Incumbents

The board listing all the previous Rectors

Jane Lemon's Altar Frontal

A closer view of the altar and east window

Herbert's Memorial Plate

The George Herbert memorial plate

In addition to the wall plate commemorating George Herbert, there are memorials to 7 former incumbents and their family members, mostly from the 18th and 19th Centuries. There are also memorials to 2 workmen who were involved in the 1896 restoration.

 

 

 

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