Details
SP 57 NE CATTHORPE -
Church of St Thomas
7/1
II*
11.1.55
Parish Church. Early C14, C15, restored 1886 by W Basset
Smith.Rubblestone with ashlared limestone dressings. Lead and
plain tile roof. Buttresses with set-offs. West tower, nave,
south porch, chancel with north vestry. C15, 3-stage ashlared
tower with plinth, 2 string courses, and embattled parapet.
West elevation: a chamfered pointed arch, 2-light window with
hoodmould with headstops. Above in 2nd stage, a very small
window. Above in 3rd stage, a chamfered pointed arch, single-
light louvred bell-opening. South elevation has extruded
staircase turret. In 2nd stage, a small, pointed arch window.
In 3rd stage, a bell opening similar to west. North and east
elevations both have round-arched, louvred bell-openings. C15
nave lead roof and ashlar coped parapet. North wall has plinth
for 2 bays to east and, from west to east; a buttress followed
by another buttress covering a blocked C14 doorway with pointed
arch and hoodmould. Then a buttress, followed by a chamfered
pointed arch 2-light window with C14 Y tracery and hoodmould,
restored in C19. Then another buttress followed by chamfered,
round-arched 3-light window with hoodmould. South wall of nave,
from west to east: part rendered south porch with plain tile
roof, coped gable with kneelers, diagonal buttresses. Four-
centred arch doorway with hoodmould with headstops and C19 double
plankdoors. South doorway has heavily moulded pointed arch with
headmould, and C19, 6-paneldoor. To east again, a buttress,
followed by a chamfered pointed arch 3-light window with
hoodmould, then a buttress, and another similar window, with
headstops, followed by another buttress and another similar
window with headstops. Then a buttress. Late C19 chapel and
vestry, with plain tile roof, coped gables, and roofline higher
than nave. Vestry north wall has plain chamfered 3-light window,
and to east, a flat arched doorway with plank door. East wall
has plain chamfered 2-light window. Chancel, south wall has
plinth and from west to east: a chamfered pointed arch 2-light
window with hoodmould, then a priest's doorway with double-
moulded pointed arch with shafts with capitals and bases, and
hoodmould with stops, and plank door. Then a lancet with
hoodmould. East wall has gable with kneelers and cross finial
diagonal buttresses, sill band, and chamfered pointed arch, 2-
light platetracery window with hoodmould. Above in the gable,
a small circular trefoil window.
INTERIOR; chamfered, four-centred tower arch. Heavily moulded
chancel arch with triple shafted responds with capitals and
bases. Plain nave. Chancel walls painted in late C19 with
squares and chevrons. C19 organ backing into vestry. C19 altar
rails, table, pews, stalls, lectern, pulpit. C20 metal reredos.
C18 parish chest. C13 stone coffin lid with bust of a woman in
sunk trefoiled recess, with some remaining marginal inscription.
C13 font with circular bowl on 4 short shafts. Bowl has
decoration of widely spaced head and leaf forms and band around
rim. Royal arms in wooden frame on north wall of nave.
MONUMENTS: marble wall memorial on north wall of the tower, to
Rev Samuel Purefoy Harper (d.1838). WWI memorial brass plaque
on north wall of nave.C20 memorial brass plaque on north-east
wall of chancel. C19 roofs, with brattished trusses, set on re-
used corbels in nave. C19 stained glass.
(Buildings of England: Leicestershire: p. 128)
Listing NGR: SP5520578166
