Details
THORRINGTON OFF CLACTON ROAD
TM 10 NE
6/144 Church of St. Mary
17.11.66 Magdalene
GV II*
Parish church. Early C14 Chancel, Nave and North Aisle with later repairs.
Late C14 south porch. Circa 1480 west tower. Late C19 repairs and restorations
when the north arcade, east gable and tops of walls were rebuilt. Flint and
rubble walls. Red plain tiled roofs with ornate ridge tiles. Rainwater heads
dated 1860. Flint flushwork west tower with limestone dressings. Chancel east
wall, restored C14 chamfered 3 light window, 2 centred head, south wall C14 east
window of 2 trefoiled lights in a 2 centred head, C14 west window incorporates a
chamfered doorway with a segmental head, chamfered 2 centred head to window.
South wall of Nave east window of 3 cinquefoiled lights, moulded 4 centred arch
and label mainly C19 but with C15 jambs and splays. C19 trefoiled 2 centred
arch west window. C14 gabled south porch with quoins and 2 centred arch of 2
chamfered orders of Roman brick and tile. Each return has a restored window of
2 trefoiled lights in a square head. 2 centred arch slit light over doorway.
Moulded wall plates and scissor braced roof. C14 niche with pointed head.
South doorway C19 2 centred arch with label over, vertically boarded door with
ornate hinges. North aisle, east wall window C19 of 2 trefoiled lights, trefoil
over, 4 centred arch head, stone plinth with bench mark to north east corner.
North wall, moulded band and plinth; there are 5 windows the 2 eastern C14
trefoiled ogee lights, the third C14 obtusely pointed light, 2 western C15, of
2 trefoiled lights under square heads. Between the latter window is the C15
north doorway with chamfered jambs, 2 centred head, moulded label with head
stops. West wall C15 window of one trefoiled light. Circa 1480 west tower,
crenellated of 3 stages with moulded plinth, bands between stages and stepped
angle buttresses, angled stair turret to north east. Crenellated parapet with
flint flushwork cusped and crocketted panels. West doorway, moulded jambs, 2
centre arched, label with head stops. Vertically boarded door with strap
hinges. West window of 3 cinquefoiled lights, vertical tracery under a 4
centred head. Second stage, south and west faces have 2 centred arch windows
with recessed red brick arches. Each face of bell chamber has a window of 2
trefoiled ogee lights under 2 centred arch heads. Stair turret with small
quatrefoiled lights. Scratch dials to south west buttress. Interior. Chancel
roof, boarded barrel vault with moulded ribs and purlins, carved bosses, moulded
and crenellated wall plates on stone corbels, C19 stained glass to windows. C19
painted Commandments to east wall. Sedilia, low cill to south window. Piscina
to south wall, C14, restored C19, trefoiled head, moulded 2 centred arch,
octofoil drain. Altar, medieval, slab of Bethersden marble, chamfered edge,
small plain consecration crosses to each corner, unusual central large crossed
cross with crossed base supports. C19 carved and panelled wooden reredos. C19
wrought iron altar rails with moulded wood top rail. 2 C19 carved chairs. No
Chancel arch. North aisle and vestry separated by a C19 carved wooden screen
with crenellated top rail. C17 plain oak chest with strap hinges. There is a
tapering coffin lid partly hidden by a wall. A circa 1600 carved table in
course of restoration at time of re-survey. North aisle of 3 bays. C19 scissor
braced roof. Floor slab with brasses and indents to east bay of arcade,
adjacent to organ, to John Clare and his 2 wives Joan and Katherine (Pirton)
circa 1564, figure of Katherine, 2 sons and 3 daughters, 2 shields. C19 north
arcade of 3 bays, moulded 2 centred arches. Large circular columns, square
bases, water leaf carved capitals. There is a 2 centred arch niche adjacent to
altar rail. Nave. C19 scissor braced roof, moulded wall plates. Throughout the
church floors of C19 coloured tile or herringboned wood blocks. Semi-octagonal
wooden pulpit moulded and traceried panels, splayed stand. Adjacent to the
pulpit on the south wall is a C17 wrought iron hour glass stand. C19 stained
glass to windows. Font, C16 octagonal with panelled sides 3 with instruments of
the Passion others with square flowers one with ? pomegranate or melon,
buttressed stem with trefoiled panels, moulded base. West tower, dated circa
1477-1483 by brass on floor, "Here lieth John Deth who was of special benefactor
to this Church and Bell Tower who died 20 April AD MCCCLXXXIII, and Margery his
wife, 1477 pray the mercy of God for their souls". Moulded 2 centred tower arch
of 2 orders, the inner resting on semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals
and bases. Ringing chamber ceiling, 4 moulded curved braces meet in the centre
with a carved boss of a quatrefoil enclosing a rose. Chamfered 2 centred
doorway to stair turret. 2 C15 pointed head niches to side walls, said to be 2
similar niches to stair turret wall, may have been used as lockers. 5 peal
boards to walls. 6 bells, 3 by Gardiner, Sudbury 1732, one by Warner, London
1860, one inscribed, "I am the sixth, the first did ring the year of the
crowning Edward King AD 1902". One C15 by Henry Jordan inscribed "Sit Nomen
Domini Benedictum". Various scratchings said to be masons marks to Tower arch
and a 5 pointed molet, date 1659 on jambs of west doorway. RCHM 1.
Listing NGR: TM0985819622
