St Bridget's Church, Brigham

St Bridget's Church, Brigham
St Bridget's Church, Brigham, from the southwest
St Bridget's Church, Brigham Location in Cumbria
Coordinates: 54°39′54″N 3°25′08″W / 54.6651°N 3.4189°W / 54.6651; -3.4189
OS grid reference	NY 085 309
Location	Brigham, Cumbria
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Dedication	St Bridget
Associated people	Fletcher Christian
Architecture
Status	Parish church
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	3 March 1967
Architect(s)	William Butterfield (restoration)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic and Gothic Revival
Specifications
Materials	Calciferous sandstone with green slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Brigham
Deanery	Solway
Archdeaconry	West Cumberland
Diocese	Carlisle
Province	York

St Bridget's Church is in the village of Brigham, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Solway, the archdeaconry of West Cumberland, and the diocese of Carlisle. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.

The church dates from the later part of the 11th century, with additions and alterations in the 12th and 13th centuries. The south aisle was re-built in the about 1323 as a chantry for the rector, Thomas de Burgh.Restoration of the church was carried out between 1864 and 1876 by William Butterfield; this included adding the east window and the south windows of the chancel, and the saddleback roof on the tower. The timber roofs of the nave and chancel also date from this restoration.Fletcher Christian, leader of the Mutiny on the Bounty, was baptised in the church on the day of his birth in 1764.

St Bridget's is constructed in calciferous sandstone ashlar, and has a green slate roof. Its plan consists of a three-bay nave with a south aisle and south porch, and a two-bay chancel with a north vestry. At the west end is a three-storey tower with a saddleback roof, and at the ends of the gables are cross finials. The church contains elements of Norman, Gothic and Gothic Revival architecture. The Norman features include a blocked doorway in the north wall, and the arcade between the nave and the south aisle. The ground floor of the tower is tunnel-vaulted.Medieval cross slabs have been incorporated in the north wall and in the blocked west door.