The third church to be spotlighted in our historical churches series is St. Andrew’s Bradfield, a local parish in Berkshire, where the Middleton family grew up. Both Kate and Pippa were christened at this church in the 1980s.
St. Andrew’s Bradfield opened its doors in the 1850s, serving as the local parish for the town of Berkshire. As with many small parishes in England, St. Andrew’s connected with neighboring parishes in the surrounding area. The collective parishes of Bucklebury, Bradfield, and Stanford Dingley formed 2BSD, with Reverend Julian Gadsby serving as the priest-in-charge. The 2BSD church collaborative takes great pride in their connection to the Duchess of Cambridge and posts news updates on their website about the Cambridge family.
Architecturally, St. Andrew’s Bradfield’s building dates back to the 14th century and is a Grade II* listed building, which is a historical categorization meaning that it is a “particularly important building of more than special interest.” It was redesigned and enlarged in 1847 by Sir George Gilbert Scott, a Gothic revival architect, who helped the church maintain its Gothic style while also creating more space within the building.
Unfortunately, St. Andrew’s Bradfield had its final service on November 30, 2014, after 160 years of service. The parish council has reportedly been in talks to sell the building to the nearby Bradfield College. The attached church graveyard is still fully accessible and members of St. Andrew’s Bradfield have been encouraged to attend other churches within the 2BSD church collaborative.
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