Brize Norton - Church and Chapel

Church and Chapel

The Church of England parish church of Saint Britius is Norman. The south doorway with its decorative tympanum, a doorway in the south wall of the chancel and the font date from this time. The porch is in the Transitional style from Norman to Early English Gothic, which suggests that it was added slightly later. Early in the 13th century the north aisle was added, with a four-bay Early English Gothic arcade linking it with the nave. In the second half of the 13th century the bell tower was added at the west end of the north aisle and the present east window of three lancets was inserted in the chancel. A chapel forms an eastward continuation of the north aisle. Two of its windows are original 13th century lancets; two square-headed windows were added in the 14th century and the east window of the chapel is modern. The Gothic Revival architect G.E. Street restored the building in 1868.

The tower has a ring of six bells but they are currently unringable. The tenor bell was cast by Edward Neale of Burford in 1679. Three more were cast by Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1873. The two youngest bells were cast by John Warner and Sons of Cripplegate in London: one in 1881 and the present treble bell in 1884. St. Britius has also a service bell cast by Naylor, Vickers and Company of Sheffield in 1860.

Brize Norton Primitive Methodist chapel was built in 1908. It is now a private house.