Details
TF 73 43 THORNHAM CHURCH STREET
(east)
8/98 Church of All Saints
5/6/53
- I
Parish church. C13, C15 and 1877. Random flint rubble with galletting.
Slated roofs. Knapped flint west tower and south face of south porch. West
tower, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, chancel with north chancel
aisle. C15 west tower having traceried plinth with moulded string course,
sound-chamber level string course, late C19 bell chamber stage with plain
parapet. North and south west stone quoined set-off buttresses with illegible
inscriptions, presumably donors' names; date 1635 on south buttress, futher
inscriptions on south side. Quatrefoil tracery sound holes, 2 light late
C19 belfry windows. Perpendicular nave and aisles. 5 bay south aisle with
4 3-light 4-centred Perpendicular tracery windows with stone drip moulds
with label stops, similar east and west windows. North aisle with same
details, but no drip mould heads. Bays divided with set off buttresses.
South porch of 2 storeys, knapped flint south face, pebble flint returns,
set-off angle buttresses, 4-centred moulded arch with bases and caps, 3-light
tracery window above, gabled parapet, 2 ground floor 2-light north and south
return windows, semi-octagonal 3 storey parvis staircase tower at angle with
aisle, battlemented parapet. 5 bay Perpendicular clerestory with 3-light
4-centred arched tracery windows. Chancel 1877, Early English style details,
3 bays with bar tracery 2-light south and stepped lancet 5-light east windows.
Steeply pitched roof, buttresses. Interior : south porch with north and south
side stone topped benches, Perpendicular niche on north side of door, damaged
holy water stoup, flat boarded C15 ceiling with ribs and bosses. C13 Early
English south door re-used, 2 orders of colonnettes with bases and caps, double
arches, with C15 wooden traceried headed door with central ogee headed
traceried wicket. 5 bay nave arcade of C13 re-assembled in C15; alternate
rounded or octagonal piers with moulded bases and capitals, double hollow
chamfered arches with label stops with carved heads, all heightened by the
insertion of C15 octagonal moulded bases. C15 clerestory stage with fine
C15 wooden arched braced hammerbeam roof with moulded principals, purlins
and ridge, 10 hammerbeams springing alternately from semi-octagonal wall posts
on carved corbel heads or from the apex of the longitudinal arched braced
wall plates. 4-centred tower door with niches and fleurons to intrados, traces
of C16 or C17 lettered texts above. North and south aisles with stone rere-
arches to windows and on south side to entrance and parvis stairs entrance
bays, delicate octagonal colonnettes with moulded bases and capitals, 4-centred
arches. Arched braced C15 roofs with moulded principals and battlemented
decoration to wall plates on outer walls. C15 octagonal stone font with
traceried stem with angle colonnettes with bulbous bases with ogee heads,
bowl with coats of arms with some polychrome traces with heraldic shields,
3 stage stone base 1905. Fine carved set of C15 poppyhead benches with carved
arms, one either side at west, 6 at east. Panelled pulpit dated 1631 on C19
stem. Dado only of rood screen, 6 lights either side divided into 2 panels
with elaborate traceried heads and bases, much polychromy and fine painted
figures of 12 saints and 12 Old Testament prophets dated 1488 with names
of donors James Miller and Clarice his wife. Chancel arch, chancel and
furnishings 1877. High Victorian Early English with polychrome stone ashlar
lining, contemporary tesselated floors and stalls. North chancel aisle with
arch from chancel serving as vestry.
Listing NGR: TF7337143446
