Bradfield, Norfolk

Infobox UK place
official_name= Bradfield
country= England
region= East of England
shire_district= North Norfolk
shire_county= Norfolk
civil_parish= Swafield CP
static_

static_image_caption =Saint Giles Parish Church, Bradfield
population= 273 (parish, 2001 census)
population_density=
os_grid_reference=TG2733
latitude= 52.84944
longitude= 1.37132
post_town= NORTH WALSHAM
postcode_area= NR
postcode_district= NR28
dial_code= 01263
constituency_westminster=
london_distance= convert|135|mi|km

Bradfield is a village within the civil parish of Swafield, in the English county of Norfolk [Ordnance Survey, Explorer Sheet 252, Norfolk Coast East, ISBN 9780319467268] . The village is 7.6 miles south south east of Cromer, 18.1 miles north north east of Norwich and 135 miles north east of London. The village lies 3.1 miles north north west of the town of North Walsham. The nearest railway station is at Gunton for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport. As with some Norfolk villages, Bradfield stretches across many square miles and merges into other villages on the edges.

History

aint Giles parish Church

Saint Giles is a large church for what is now a small community. The church, however was once bigger still [Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East, By Nikolaus Pevsner and Bill Wilson, Bradfield entry. ISBN 0-300-09607-0 ] . There is evidence of this both inside and out, because the north and south arcades were filled in when the aisles were demolished. The pillars and arches can still be seen, set in the walls, the early 14th century capitals revealing the age of the church. The porch is dated 1786, along with the churchwardens' names, which is probably shortly after the aisles were demolished [The King’s England series, NORFOLK, by Arthur Mee,Pub:Hodder and Stoughton,1972, page 40 Bradfield, ISBN 0 340 15061 0] . At the east end of the church there is a decorated window and pentagonal buttresses with stone pinnacles added in 1864 when some restoration work was carried out on the church. Above the chancel arch there is a wall painting of Christ in Judgment. He sits on a rainbow showing his wounds. The wall painting dates from the 15th century [The King’s England series, NORFOLK, by Arthur Mee,Pub:Hodder and Stoughton,1972, page 40 Bradfield, ISBN 0 340 15061 0] .

Church Gallery

References