Details
THORNHAM MAGNA MAJOR LANE (WEST SIDE)
TM 17 SW
3/75 Church of St. Mary
29.7.55 Magdalene (formerly
listed as Church of St.
Mary)
GV II*
Parish church. C14, south porch added, refenestrated, raised and altered in
late C15. Thoroughly restored and vestry added 1851. Flint rubble with
ashlar dressings. Slate roofs. A long nave with narrower, shorter and lower
chancel, west tower, south porch, north vestry. Tall C14 3 stage tower of
knapped flint, to west an entrance with a double wave moulded pointed arch,
mask stopped hoodmould, offset plinth, string course to tall second stage with
a cusped lancet, 3 stage diagonal buttresses rise to belfy with a string
course below 2-light openings with simple reticulated traceried heads, cornice
to embattled parapet with angle pinnacles, gargoyle to south, lower stages
have a semi-octagonal stair turret to south, south east and north east
buttresses meet diagonal buttresses from nave. Nave to south has a large
roughly central porch, restored outer pointed arch with shafted jambs, Tudor
flower ornamented double hollow moulding, mask stopped hoodmould, double
plinth, knapped flint in cusped headed panels, string course at impost level
above which are 2 empty niches with cusped, crocketed and pinnacled ogee
arches, in spandrels are circular panels with shields of arms, above arch a
string course on which sits a central niche with a C19 carved mask at base, a
ribbed vaulted ogee canopy with a richly crocketed and pinnacled head,
flanking knapped flint panels with cusped ashlar heads. Very shallow gable to
porch with a plain coped parapet, to centre a plinth for a statue, 3 stage
diagonal ashlar buttresses with pinnacles above parapet, diamond diapering.
Porch: returns have 2-light Perpendicular windows with brattished rectilinear
tracery, gargoyles to plain parapet. Inner entrance has a pointed arch,
double wave moulded dying into chamfered jambs, hoodmould, roof has brattished
cornices. Nave has 3 south windows, all restored and of 3 lights, to east of
porch one is Perpendicular, outer windows have reticulated tracery and pointed
arched heads, 2 stage buttresses. Nave to north has a C19 vestry to west of
centre, gabled with an outer 2-light pointed arched window, kneelers to coped
gable parapet. Three restored 3-light windows as to south, all Perpendicular,
2 stage buttresses. Nave to east has moulded kneelers to a coped parapet with
a broken ridge cross. Chancel: east end C19 3-light window with a pointed
arch, moulded and carved kneelers to coped gable end parapet, 2 stage diagonal
buttresses, to north a single restored 3-light Perpendicular window and a 2
stage buttress, to south a low side door with a simple double chamfered
pointed arch, flanking 3-light Perpendicular windows and a 2 stage buttress.
Interior: pointed chancel arch, double chamfered with moulded capitals to
semi-octagonal responds. 7 bay single hammerbeam nave roof; restored, moulded
throughout, arched braces to hammerbeams from which angels have been removed,
arched braces to brattished collars, short king posts, bosses where purlins
meet principals and at apex of arched braces, moulded and coved cornice to
ashlar pieces. 3 bay C19 chancel roof follows C15 model with carved stone
mask corbels. From nave to tower a pointed arched doorway. From vestry into
nave an originally external moulded pointed arch. Nave north wall rood loft
stairs with segmental pointed arched headed openings. Nave south wall towards
east end has a small piscina with a cusped segmental pointed arched head,
broach and bar stopped hollow jambs, octafoil bowl. Chancel east window has
C14 shafted jambs with capitals and roll moulded rear arch. Chancel south
wall towards east has a C14 angle piscina with 2 heavily restored cusped and
crocketed ogee arches on shafts, a complex pier to centre with a stiff leaf
capital, sedilia below south window. In vestry a C17 communion table with
turned legs, a C17 timber chest with circle patterned front, Lord's Prayer and
Credo Panels. C19 furnishings include an octagonal font, poppy headed bench
ends, Gothic pulpit, richly traceried chancel screen, tiled chancel floor,
communion rails. Monuments: chancel north wall, a large standing monument of
2 marbles to 3rd Lord Henniker, d.1821, and wife, by J. Kendrick; moulded base
to pedestal with inscription, quadrant corners, 2 nearly life size female
allegorical mourning figures flank a tall cylindrical pedestal carrying arms
and a funerary urn with profiles of Lord Henniker and wife, behind 2 pilasters
and a simply moulded round arch. Flanking this monument are 2 oval wall
tablets, marble with painted arms and inscriptions to Dame E. and Sir J.
Major, d.1780 and 81, the other to Dame A. Henniker, their daughter, d.1792;
also a cartouche to R. Killigrew, d.1707. Chancel north wall has Henniker
hatchments. Nave north wall marble tablet to Hon. Major Henniker, d.1842, by
W.R. Woodington, draped urn and military trappings on a sarcophagus; also a
tablet with an urn and scrolls to F.A. Henniker, d.1823 by J. Kendrick;
further C19 and C20 Henniker memorials, hatchments. Nave to west has Royal
Arms of George II. Chancel floor slabs, C17, to Bokenham family, some with
arms. Glass: nave to south towards west end, a window by Morris and Co, 1901,
3 full length saintly figures with musical angels above. Mid C19 glass in
nave and at east end of chancel.
Listing NGR: TM1039171427
