We recently had a day out in the delightful town of Bridport. The church was particularly attractive in the sunshine. We learnd that the earliest remains of St Mary's date from the 13th century although much of the building, including the central tower, dates from the 15th century.
In the Victorian period considerable alterations and enlargement took place. In the ten months leading up to July 1860 a major restoration was carried out: the chancel was completely rebuilt, and the nave lengthened.
The author Thomas Hardy did not approve of the alterations - he wrote "The church had had such a practical joke played upon it by some facetious restorer or other as to be scarce recognisable...".
Despite this, the church continued to be much loved and late 19th and 20th century craftsmen continued to enhance it with stained glass and the organ we see and hear today. The Lady chapel was created in 1900. The east window is Victorian and depicts Queen Victoria as the Queen of Sheba.
