Church of St Thomas of Canterbury

Details

NORTHLEW NORTHLEW SX 59 NW 9/226 Church of St Thomas of - Canterbury 22.2.67 GV I Parish church. Norman tower with the main fabric of the Church dating from the C15 to early C16. Restored in 1885 by Fulford of Exeter. Stone ashlar walls to aisles rubble to tower. Gable ended slate roof. Plan: Nave, chancel, north and west aisles and chapels, west tower and south porch. The earliest part of the church is the C12 tower, thee rest of the church was rebuilt in the C15 and north and south aisles added. The north aisle bears the arms of the Kelly family which are also on one side of the south doorway. The family evidently contributed significantly to the refurbishing of the church since the arms of William Kelly (who died 1534) and the date 1537 are on one of the bench ends. Throughout the C18 and into the mid C19 the church fell into disrepair until it was comprehensively restored in 1885 including repairs to the roofs and benches and the renewal of battlements to the tower. The medieval rood screen was removed in 1810 then later restored by Herbert Read of Exeter and re-erected in 1923 - 29 in sections. Exterior: 3 stage unbuttressed west tower the higher stage of which was probably rebuilt in the C15 with obelisk pinnacles. Original roundheaded stair lights on south side of tower. C12 west doorway with 1 order of colonettes and pointed arch with double head. Square headed belfry openings. Early C20 vestry inserted in angle between tower and north aisle. Restored window at west end of north aisle. The aisle has 4 ashlar buttresses. Between the 2 right-hand ones is a blocked 4-centred arched moulded doorway with hoodmould. Also-on this side are 3 early C16 square- headed 3-light mullion windows with 4-centred heads. Rectangular pro- jection for rood stairs has small ogee-headed light with tiny gable above. 4-light Perpendicular window at east end of aisle with no cusping to tracery. Kelly arms in labels of hoodmould. East window is a 3-light Decorated style restoration. The east window of the south aisle is Perpendicular of 4 lights. The aisle has 2 buttresses between the windows and set-back buttresses to the corners. Three 4-light Perpendicular windows. Small segmental-headed stone arched priest's doorway. Single storey gabled south porch with 4-centre arched roll-moulded granite doorway. Interior: porch retains its wagon roof with high relief carving to ribs and carved bosses, some of which are restored, as are the wall-plates. South doorway has basket arched head, hollow roll and hollow moulding with raised pyramid stops and the arms of the Kelly and Trecarrel families carved in the spandrels. Possibly C12 low pointed tower arch with chamfered imposts. 4-bay granite arcade to each aisle probably of slightly different dates: both have moulded 4-centred arches and Pevsner A-type piers, but the south aisle has more richly moulded arches and 4 roll moulding to capitals. North aisle has cup capitals, the top of the eastern most one is carved with the Kelly arms and the intials W. K. Above the square-headed window openings to the north aisle are wooden lintels with quite ornate foliage and floral carving. Good wagon roofs to aisles, especially ornate to north aisle which has carved ribs and bosses - those over the chapel have large spreading leaves or petals. Carved angels at the front of each rib on the wall-plate. South aisle has moulded ribs and simpler bosses, also with carved angels. Nave roof has been restored, the roof over the chancel is boarded. Good C16 benches to nave and south aisle, the ends of which are all of various pre-Renaissance designs, one dated 1537 and another witn the arms of William Kelly. Bench ends in north aisle are partly restored - one of which is dated 1897. Restored medieval screen of which only really the old panellng survives - the cornice and rood loft completely renewed. Square Norman tub front with saltire and star decoration and arcading to sides; central stem -with corner pillars set on square base. This is a more than usually complete medieval church with many good features both internal and external and some interesting remains of the Norman fabric. Sources: Church Guide: by H. C. Geipel. Kelly's Directory 1906

Listing NGR: SX5050299172

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

93336

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Geipel, H C, Church of St Thomas of Canterbury Church Guide, ()
Kelly's Directory in Kelly's Directory, (1906)

End of official list entry

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