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St Brelade's Church.

A short guide by the Rev. W. Tabb, annotated by Tony Bellows (in italics).

This was printed in the 1960s, and later research, as shown by italics, indicates where material is out of date.

SITUATED in the south-west corner of the Bay of St. Brelade is the lovely parish Church of St. Brelade. For over 900 years parts of it have stood here, witnessing to the faith of Jesus Christ.

In 1035 A.D., Robert of Normandy confirmed the patronage of the Church to the monastery of Montivilliers (his son William, who in 1066 A.D. became William I of England, confirmed this deed of patronage). This shows that the Church was here before 1035.

The Church is dedicated to St. Brelade. Who was this Saint ? No doubt St. Brendanus, born in Ireland late 5th or early 6th century. St. Brendan was known as " Brendan the Voyager ". He often sailed forth from Brittany searching for the " Isles of the Blest " but, we are told, was driven back over and over again by storm and tempest. On one of these voyages, legend says, he sought refuge in the Bay of St. Brelade and gave his name to the Parish, which name, in course of time, was altered to St. Brelade.

Tabb's identification is undoubtably wrong. St Brelade was St Branwallader, and has no connection with St Brendan, although early twentieth century histories of the church make this confusion, following the Rev. J.A. Balleine.

The Chancel is without doubt the oldest part of the building. The original building extended some six feet into the nave. It was then only a small monastic Chapel. Early in the 12th century it became a Parish Church, so additions were made, and again in the 14th-15th centuries, the roof was raised some two-and-a-half feet higher to a Gothic pitch. The roof of the Fishermen's Chapel was raised at the same time. Having no local lime, the masons collected quantities of shells from off the beach and crushed them ; then they boiled this mixture in sea water. This hot liquid was poured into a cased-in wall-work and the result is seen today in the wonderful solidity of these ancient walls.

The Church of the 12th century was cruciform in structure, consisting of a Chancel, a Nave (built in two periods) and two Transepts—these latter forming the two arms. At a later date, perhaps a century later, the Chancel Aisle was built ; after that the Nave Aisle.

The date of the Tower is uncertain ; it is however of later date than the Chancel.

There have been many changes in the windows, as one can see, although some of the old window jambs are still to be seen.

Once a Rood Screen adorned the Church ; the corbels on which it rested are still in place and a closed-up doorway, through which the Rood was approached, is still in existence.

The Font is one of the archaeological treasures of this Church (notice the place for salt and oil in the sides of it). The font disappeared during the Commonwealth troubles and was found on the slopes near the Church, hidden in bracken and gorse, in 1840.

An ornate wooden cover for the font was provided by his daughters in the memory of Harold George Shepard, long-time Church warden at the church.

Above the font there existed, up to 1843, a smokers' gallery. Sermons were long in those days ; to make time pass more quickly smoking was allowed in this gallery.

A Processional Cross dating from the 13th century is to be seen in the Lady Chapel; this was found buried in the Church. Nearly all the stone used in the building of this Church came from the beach ; it had been washed by the sea from the beginning of time.

The lovely stained glass is the work of one of our Island's distinguished sons, the late Mr. H. T. Bosdet.

Notice the carved text on the pulpit; it is a happy rendering of Proverbs XXV. 11. " Telles quo sont les pommes d'or emaillees d'argent, telle est la parole dit comme il faut". "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in filigree work ".

Up to sixty years ago the whole of the interior stone work was covered in plaster which was whitewashed; this helped to reflect light. When the plaster was removed the lovely, warm, pink granite was revealed and the whole re-pointed with cement. If you look closely all over the building you will notice limpets still on the stones; these were discovered when the plaster was removed. They are not a fake, for the oldest dated lime-wash was 1611 and the limpets were then under the plaster. The paving in the Chancel is modern ; it is made of five different types of Jersey granite and represents the waves breaking on the sea-shore.

The lovely stone altar has one of the original stone slabs on it, not necessarily the one belonging to this Church as they were all removed by the Genevan Reformers or the Commonwealth vandals. This Altar Slab, weighing about 15 cwt., contains the five crosses cut by the Bishop at the time of its consecration; the five crosses represent the five wounds of Christ.

This Church is visited each year by thousands of visitors to this Island. The fact that you have come to visit it shows that you are interested. Let me conclude this short description of this unique building by saying that primarily it is a witness to God and to the eternal verities. It is not only an ancient building, neither is it a museum: it is the house of God. As you enter it, think of it as such, and offer up a prayer for those who minister and those who worship in it. May God abundantly bless those who come to see this treasure of the ages.

A well-preserved gargoyle can be seen in the West gable ; this must be as old as the Church itself.