St Brelade’s Church and Fisherman’s Chapel
St Brelade’s Church
St Brelade’s Church is one of the twelve ancient parish churches in Jersey; it is placed upon the south-west corner of St Brelade’s Bay in the parish of St Brelade, which is on the west coast of the Island. This church has one of the very few surviving medieval chapels in the Channel Islands, the “Fisherman’s Chapel”, which is next to the main church building.
This stunningly beautiful church and chapel is a perfect place to escape the sun and sit and walk in the shade. It overlooks the bay and has great views to the sea.
St Brelades Church
The church is dedicated to Saint Brelade. Some early historians made a mistaken connection with Saint Brendan. St Brelade was also known as St Branwalader, and has no connection with St Brendan.
The earliest records of the church are when it is mentioned in deeds of patronage. In AD 1035 when Robert of Normandy confirmed the patronage of the church to the monastery, which shows that the church existed before 1035.
[flickr]tag:fishermans+chappel@Jerzzy Journey Boutique(,10)[/flickr]
Early in the 12th century it became a parish church and additions were made until in the 14th–15th centuries, the roof was raised some two-and-a-half feet to create a Gothic pitch. The roof of the Fishermen’s Chapel was raised at the same time.
There was at some time a rood screen in 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 was found on the slopes near the church, hidden in bracken and gorse and was restored to the church in 1840. A processional cross dating from the 13th century is to be seen in the Lady Chapel; this was found buried in the church.
St Brelade’s Church 1840 by P,J, Ouless
Nearly all the stone used in the building of this church came from the beach and you can even find limpet shells in the stonework.
The text on the pulpit is a translation of Proverbs 25:11: “Telles que sont les pommes d’or emaillées d’argent, telle est la parole dit comme il faut, in English “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in filigree work”
[flickr]tag:brelades+church@Jerzzy Journey Boutique(,10)[/flickr]
The altar slab, weighing about 15 hundredweight, contains the five crosses cut by the bishop at the time of the church’s consecration; the five crosses represent the five wounds of Christ.
This church is still in use today there are however very few spaces left in the cemetery as it is a very peaceful and beautiful place to be laid to rest.