Bridekirk - St Bridges (PiP)

The town´s name, derives from St Bridges´ Kirk (church), so a probably wooden church has been here since early times.

This church was replaced with a stone church in 1130. Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries, St Bridget's Church was owned by Gisborough Priory in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Following the deterioration of the building over the years, a new church was built in 1868, alongside the ruins of the chancel of the old church. Incorporated in the new church are several elements of the old church: the tympanum and archway of the south door, the door in the south transept, and the former chancel arch. The new church is in neo-Norman style.

The rectangular font, dated to around 1150, is probably a remaining feature of the original church.

Bridekirk was founded by people who came from Norway - and they still had connections in the 12th century, as they used runic writing.

A more detailed photo.

At the top you can see a man in the vines and on the right a dog.

The information here tells us that the runic inscription reads
‘Ricard brought me .... to this splendour’. So this is a signature of the artist.

Below the inscription are two rosettes of flowers and a figure holding a hammer and a long object.

Is it Ricard at work? Is it Reginn repairing the mythical sword Gram? Or even Thor with his hammer?

Far away in Sangüesa (Navarra / Northern Spain) Reginn can be seen on a 12th/13th century carving.