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Thoroton St Helena

Official Listing Description

Parish church. C11, C12, C13, C14; restored, chancel rebuilt, re-roofed and re-seated by J. H. Hakewill, 1869. Coursed and random rubble, dressed stone and ashlar. Ashlar dressings. Lean-to and gabled plain tile roofs with coped gables and crosses. External stone gable stack to north. West tower, nave, north and south aisles, vestry, chancel, south porch. West tower, C14, 3 stages, has chamfered and moulded plinth, 2 string courses, restored corbel table with masks and 4 gargoyles. Quatrefoil pierced balustrade. Setback octagonal spire with 3 tiers of gabled lucarnes with crosses and cusped double lancets. Above, weathercock. To west, 2 pairs of corner buttresses, 3 setoffs. North east and south east corners have each a small buttress. South east corner has 2 stage canted stair turret with slab roof. 3 stair lights. First stage has to south, a lancet. To west, large cusped crocketed ogee headed niche with finial, flanked by a pair of mutilated angels in moulded panels. Above, gabled hood mould with finial. Niche contains octagonal tripartite bracket. Second stage has to south, cusped ogee headed lancet. Third stage has 4 double lancets with ogee reticulation, hood moulds and mask stops. Nave clerestory has on each side 3 C19 quatrefoil windows. North aisle, 3 bays, has chamfered plinth, band, and eaves. West end has cusped ogee headed single lancet. North side has 3 C19 cusped triple lancets with chamfered and rebated four centred arched reveals. Single bay vestry, mid C19, has chamfered string course. North side has cusped ogee lancet. East end has re-set C11 splayed lancet with hood mould. Above it, fragment of C11 arch with cable moulding. Chancel, 2 bays, has chamfered string course and east end has sill band and pair of flanking buttresses. Early C14 style triple lancet with moulded surround. South side has stepped sill band. To west, single and to east, double C14 style lancets. All windows have hood moulds with uncarved stops. South aisle, 3 bays, C15. Moulded string course and parapet. A corner buttress at each end. Rendered plinth at west end. South side has 2 C15 triple lancets with ogee reticulation and hood moulds. South porch, C19, has string course, chamfered eaves, and pair of flanking buttresses. Roll moulded doorway with hood mould and uncarved stops. Principal rafter roof with collars. Chamfered and pointed inner doorway with late C18 Gothic panelled door. North arcade, C13, restored, 3 bays, has 2 round piers and responds. Moulded round bases and capitals. Double chamfered and rebated arches with remains of scrolled imposts. Hood mould with uncarved stops. Late C13 south arcade, 3 bays, has 2 octagonal piers and responds. Moulded octagonal bases and capitals. East respond has nailhead band. Double chamfered and rebated arches with hood moulds. King post roof with curved struts and arch braces. Tower arch, C14, double chamfered and rebated, has hood mould and mask stops. Tower chamber has no architectural features. North aisle has plain lean-to roof. West end window has stained glass, 1868. South aisle has similar roof. Easternmost window has stained glass, c.1909. Chancel arch, 1868, chamfered and rebated, with uncarved imposts. Chancel has to north, pointed opening to vestry and chapel with oak screen in C15 style, 1937. East end has sill band and moulded window reveal with shafts. Stained glass signed "Lavers, Barraud and West lake, London, 1869". South side has to east, corner piscina in C13 style, moulded pointed openings, round shafts and hood moulds. To its right, window seat. 2 windows with stained glass, 1869, signed "Lavers, Barraud and Westlake". Plain arch braced principal rafter roof. Vestry converted to chapel has moulded square opening in east wall. Lean-to roof. Fittings include plain chamfered round font with C14 base, restored. Choir stalls, clergy desks, altar rail, square pulpit, oak, 1937. Matchboard benches, 1869. 6 early C19 benches with ogee ends and fleur de lys finials. C19 wood lectern. Small late C17 table, with splayed turned legs and chip carving. Monuments include slate tablet with Latin inscription to Gulielmi Barrett, 1760. Panelled marble war memorial tablet with arched head containing wreath, 1919.