Brailes
Encyclopedia
Brailes is a civil parish about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Shipston-on-Stour
in Warwickshire
, England
. It comprises the two village
s of Lower and Upper Brailes but is often referred to as one village as the two adjoin each other. Brailes parish includes the hamlet
of Winderton about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Brailes.
Brailes stands among many hills, with Upper Brailes built on the side of Brailes Hill, recognisable by the Highwall Coppice clump of trees on its top and the second-highest point in Warwickshire. The east side of the village is bordered by Mine Hill, which can be easily identified by the TV mast
at its centre, and Holloway Hill, up which the B4035 road runs towards Banbury
.
castle
.
Remains of a Roman villa
have been found, but the artifacts
are too scattered by centuries of cultivation to be of much significance.
Brailes was the home of William de Brailes
, a 13th century medieval painter of illuminated manuscript
s. Of the many artists who painted such manuscripts, William is one of only two whose name has been recorded.
The Church of England parish church
of Saint George
is the largest in the Kington Hundred
and is locally referred to as "The Cathedral of the Feldon". Feldon is an Old English word meaning "the land from which the timber has been cleared away". Excavations in 1879 beneath the arcade
between the nave
and south aisle are said to have found 12th century foundations. The south aisle was added in about 1280 and is the oldest part of the present church building. The western part of the south arcade was added in about 1330-40 when the nave seems to have been extended westwards to its present length of six bays
. At the same time the clerestorey was added to the nave and the chancel
was rebuilt with its present Decorated Gothic east window. The north aisle may also be 14th century, but rebuildings and alterations in 1649 and 1879 have obscured the evidence for its original appearance. In the 15th century an additional window was inserted in the south wall of the chancel.
The bell tower is 120 feet (36.6 m) high and has the third-heaviest ring
of six bells in England. One of the bells was cast late in the 15th century. The tenor bell was also 15th century but was recast in 1877. Two more bells are 17th century and another 17th century bell was recast in 1900. The bells have been rehung a number of times, including by White's of Appleton in 1894 and most recently by John Taylor & Co in 1957.
From 1584 until at least 1712 the advowson
of St. George's parish belonged to the Bishop family, although most of the family was Roman Catholic. The manor house
was built early in the 17th century. In 1726 a member of the Bishop family added the range that includes the Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
on the upper floor.
A Quaker
Meeting House, said to have been founded in the 17th century, was in existence in 1850. Brailes had two Methodist
chapels. The one in Upper Brailes was built in 1863.
On the other side of Stocks Hill is Brailes House, once home to the Sheldon family.
"The Mouth of Hell, Religious Discord at Brailes", (author Colin Haydon) is an account of Anti-Catholic sentiments in Brailes in the 17th & 18th centuries.
.
In Lower Brailes there are three old school buildings, the Free School, the Old School and a third building next to the churchyard, which also served as a practice room for the village brass band in the 1950s. All have now been converted to homes. In the area between the two villages, there is situated Brailes Primary School (opened in 1960), with about 100 pupils; the playing fields and pavilion; and the Village Hall
.
Just south of Lower Brailes is Brailes Golf Club, which has an 18-hole course.
About 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Lower Brailes is Traitor's Ford
, a popular spot for family picnics and children playing.
A long climb to the top of Mine Hill, then down to Sutton Lane before climbing again to the top of Brailes Hill. For this walk, walkers are allowed across private land to the Highwall Coppice, which is not normally accessible at other times of year.
There are commanding views of Warwickshire, as walkers turn back towards Upper Brailes, before the final climb of Castle Hill. Then a short descent to return to the finish at the Village Hall.
Many walkers will then retreat to the George Hotel or the Gate Inn.
The money raised by the walk goes to the school and the pavilion..
On the Saturday following Guy Fawkes Night
a large Bonfire
with fireworks
is held in the playing fields. On this night, there is a barbecue
and a popular hog roast.
On usually the second Saturday in August the Brailes Show is held. At this agricultural show
there are various equestrian
events and a dog show
. A marquee with flowers, vegetables and produce on show, various stalls, a barbecue, vintage and classic cars, motorcycles, tractors and steam engines, as well as a main ring in which activities, such as tug of war
and performances such as falconry
are held. On the evening of the show, the "Farmer's Ball" is held in the marquee, with two or three live bands playing, often including the Strolling Bones (a Rolling Stones tribute band).
Shipston-on-Stour
Shipston-on-Stour is a town and civil parish on the River Stour about south of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire. It is in the northern part of the Cotswolds, close to the boundaries with Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire....
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It comprises the two village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s of Lower and Upper Brailes but is often referred to as one village as the two adjoin each other. Brailes parish includes the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Winderton about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Brailes.
Brailes stands among many hills, with Upper Brailes built on the side of Brailes Hill, recognisable by the Highwall Coppice clump of trees on its top and the second-highest point in Warwickshire. The east side of the village is bordered by Mine Hill, which can be easily identified by the TV mast
Radio masts and towers
Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. They are among the tallest man-made structures...
at its centre, and Holloway Hill, up which the B4035 road runs towards Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
.
History
In the middle of the village is the man-made Castle Hill, a prehistoric burial ground that was used as the mound for a motte-and-baileyMotte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
.
Remains of a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
have been found, but the artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
are too scattered by centuries of cultivation to be of much significance.
Brailes was the home of William de Brailes
William de Brailes
William de Brailes was an English Early Gothic manuscript illuminator, presumably born in Brailes, Warwickshire. He signed two manuscripts, and apparently worked in Oxford, where he is documented from 1238 to 1252, owning property in Catte Street near the University Church of St Mary the Virgin,...
, a 13th century medieval painter of illuminated manuscript
Illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration, such as decorated initials, borders and miniature illustrations...
s. Of the many artists who painted such manuscripts, William is one of only two whose name has been recorded.
The Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
is the largest in the Kington Hundred
Kington (hundred)
Kington or Kineton was a historic hundred of the county of Warwickshire in England. The hundred covered the southern part of the county, and lay south of Warwick, between the River Avon on the west and the River Itchen on the east...
and is locally referred to as "The Cathedral of the Feldon". Feldon is an Old English word meaning "the land from which the timber has been cleared away". Excavations in 1879 beneath the arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
between the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and south aisle are said to have found 12th century foundations. The south aisle was added in about 1280 and is the oldest part of the present church building. The western part of the south arcade was added in about 1330-40 when the nave seems to have been extended westwards to its present length of six bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
. At the same time the clerestorey was added to the nave and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was rebuilt with its present Decorated Gothic east window. The north aisle may also be 14th century, but rebuildings and alterations in 1649 and 1879 have obscured the evidence for its original appearance. In the 15th century an additional window was inserted in the south wall of the chancel.
The bell tower is 120 feet (36.6 m) high and has the third-heaviest ring
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
of six bells in England. One of the bells was cast late in the 15th century. The tenor bell was also 15th century but was recast in 1877. Two more bells are 17th century and another 17th century bell was recast in 1900. The bells have been rehung a number of times, including by White's of Appleton in 1894 and most recently by John Taylor & Co in 1957.
From 1584 until at least 1712 the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
of St. George's parish belonged to the Bishop family, although most of the family was Roman Catholic. The manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
was built early in the 17th century. In 1726 a member of the Bishop family added the range that includes the Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, or the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a liturgical feast in honour of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June...
on the upper floor.
A Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
Meeting House, said to have been founded in the 17th century, was in existence in 1850. Brailes had two Methodist
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
chapels. The one in Upper Brailes was built in 1863.
On the other side of Stocks Hill is Brailes House, once home to the Sheldon family.
"The Mouth of Hell, Religious Discord at Brailes", (author Colin Haydon) is an account of Anti-Catholic sentiments in Brailes in the 17th & 18th centuries.
Amenities
Brailes has two pubs: the 16th century George Hotel in Lower Brailes and the Gate Inn in Upper Brailes. Both belong to the Hook Norton BreweryHook Norton Brewery
Hook Norton Brewery is a regional brewery in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire, England, founded in 1849. The brewing plant is a traditional Victorian "tower" brewery in which all the stages of the brewing process flow logically from floor to floor; mashing at the top, boiling in the middle, fermentation...
.
In Lower Brailes there are three old school buildings, the Free School, the Old School and a third building next to the churchyard, which also served as a practice room for the village brass band in the 1950s. All have now been converted to homes. In the area between the two villages, there is situated Brailes Primary School (opened in 1960), with about 100 pupils; the playing fields and pavilion; and the Village Hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
.
Just south of Lower Brailes is Brailes Golf Club, which has an 18-hole course.
About 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Lower Brailes is Traitor's Ford
Traitor's Ford
Traitor's Ford is a ford around outside Brailes, Warwickshire, England. It can be seen in the film, Three Men and a Little Lady.- References :...
, a popular spot for family picnics and children playing.
Events
Castle Hill, Mine Hill and Brailes Hill are covered in the annual Brailes Three Hills Walk, held on the first Monday in May each year. The route starts at the Village Hall and proceeds by footpaths through fields to St Georges Church and then to the Park in Lower Brailes.A long climb to the top of Mine Hill, then down to Sutton Lane before climbing again to the top of Brailes Hill. For this walk, walkers are allowed across private land to the Highwall Coppice, which is not normally accessible at other times of year.
There are commanding views of Warwickshire, as walkers turn back towards Upper Brailes, before the final climb of Castle Hill. Then a short descent to return to the finish at the Village Hall.
Many walkers will then retreat to the George Hotel or the Gate Inn.
The money raised by the walk goes to the school and the pavilion..
On the Saturday following Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
a large Bonfire
Bonfire
A bonfire is a controlled outdoor fire used for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration. Celebratory bonfires are typically designed to burn quickly and may be very large...
with fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
is held in the playing fields. On this night, there is a barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
and a popular hog roast.
On usually the second Saturday in August the Brailes Show is held. At this agricultural show
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
there are various equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
events and a dog show
Conformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
. A marquee with flowers, vegetables and produce on show, various stalls, a barbecue, vintage and classic cars, motorcycles, tractors and steam engines, as well as a main ring in which activities, such as tug of war
Tug of war
Tug of war, also known as tug o' war, tug war, rope war or rope pulling, is a sport that directly pits two teams against each other in a test of strength. The term may also be used as a metaphor to describe a demonstration of brute strength by two opposing groups, such as a rivalry between two...
and performances such as falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
are held. On the evening of the show, the "Farmer's Ball" is held in the marquee, with two or three live bands playing, often including the Strolling Bones (a Rolling Stones tribute band).