Thurgarton St Peter

Features and Fittings

Altar

A medieval altar of Ancaster stone which was discovered in the 19th century in a local well and restored to the church; it sits on six 19th century stone pillars. It measures 8ft by 4 ft and bears several consecration crosses and is thought to have been hidden by the canons of the priory at the dissolution.

Altar Rail

The Altar Rail is wooden with wrought iron railings carrying the dedication:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND LOVING MEMORY OF

GEORGE AND MARY ALLWOOD

AND THE FAMILY

Font, Pulpit, Reading Desks, Pews and Choir Stalls

All date from the 1854 restoration and are listed in a church account of that year as costing: font £32, pulpit £60, reading desks £50, pews in aisle £58 16s 8d.

They share a 19th century Gothic style with similar carvings of foliage and repeated trefoil panels which echo details of the surviving medieval carvings.

Font

An octagonal stone font with a wooden lid set on 8 piers and a wide octagonal step base. The leaf carvings are set in trefoil panels.

Pulpit

Stone pulpit a deeply carved front panel of four winged creatures, the symbols of the apostles – eagle, bull, lion and man. Foliage and leaf carvings adorn the other panels.

Crucifix

On the wall behind the pulpit is a wooden crucifix below which is a brass plaque which reads:

IN PIOUS MEMORY OF

ATWELL MERVYN YATES BAYLAY

PRIEST

VICAR OF THIS PARISH 1873 TO 1920

WHO ENTERED INTO REST JULY 23 1921

ON WHOSE SOUL MAY JESUS HAVE MERCY

Rev Atwell Baylay was a keen historian (vice president of the Thoroton Society ) and an acknowledged expert on liturgy and ancient church music; he translated and edited Batiffol’s Histories of the Roman Mass and the Breviary and was the author of A Century of Collects (Alcuin Club publications)

Reading desks

Two large oak reading desks with heavy foliage carving and trefoil panels.

Pews and Choir stalls

The pews and choir stalls of 1854 have a trio of repeating end panel designs.

Sounding Board – Table

An octagonal sounding board possibly 18th century has been converted into a table, many pieces of inlay are loose.

Bishop’s
chair

Detail of carving
on back

Carving on base

Chancel Chair

Said to be the chair used by Bishop George Ridding and is still known as the Bishop’s Chair. The oak panel carvings are thought to be 17th century Flemish in origin which have been incorporated into a chair in the Victorian period. The largest panel depicts the Adoration of the Magi.

Lectern

Brass lectern with leaf design.

Misericords

To the right of the altar is a block of triple seats of oak with fine medieval misericord carvings. It probably dates from the 15th century.

Carving of wrestlers

A detached misericord seat also survives and depicts a pair of wrestlers.

Polychrome
remnants
on the niche

Niche

An ornately carved stone niche occupies the centre of the east window above the altar. The abundant ‘seaweed’ style of foliage echoes the pulpitum at Southwell Minster and the Easter Sepulchre at Hawton and dates from c1330. Close examination of the niche shows remnants of polychrome with red, blue and gold predominating. The shadowy outline of a veiled figure indicates where the medieval statue once stood beneath the canopy.

Charity Board

In poor condition and stored in the bell ringing chamber is a wooden board which reads:

Charities Given to the Poor of Thurgarton. Mr Baker gave Twenty pounds, Mr Joshua Baker gave Sixty pounds, Mrs Mary Baker gave Twenty pounds, Mr Matthews gave Ten pounds and the Money is put to Interest and the Interest is given to the Poor twice yearly: Viz at Christmas and at Easter.

George Huddlestone Thomas Beeston Church Wardens 1777