The beautiful Grade I-listed All Saints Church, Thornham, dates from the 13th century or earlier, but building came to an abrupt stop in 1348 with the arrival of the Black Death in the village.
A substantial part of the church dates from the 15th century, when it was considerably extended. The principal benefactors were the Miller family, wealthy local merchants. Brass inscriptions to Simon Miller who died in 1464 and his son John Miller 1488 are reset in the south aisle. I wonder if they were wool merchants? This has all the appearance of a wool church, though the tower is shorter than most. According to the parish web site the tower was started in the early 17th century but not completed then as the stone masons were required in London following the Great Fire.
The very wide nave has arcades with thirteenth century columns, reset on higher bases when the church was largely rebuilt towards the end of the fifteenth century. At this time the clerestory windows were added above the heightened arcade and the fine hammerbeam roof was constructed. It rests on large corbel brackets with carved heads re-used from the earlier church.
There was substantial restoration work undertaken in the 19th century, as at so many old English parish churches. The bell was re-hung in the tower, the chancel was completely rebuilt and the roof of the nave was restored.
Tags: Norfolk Thornham Grade I-listed buildings All Saints Church, Thornham
© All Rights Reserved
This magnificent Grade I-listed church is adjacent to Port Eliot House in St Germans in south-east Cornwall and is unlike any other in the county. On the site of an earlier Saxon cathedral and subsequent priory, it was rebuilt in the 12th century by the canons in the Norman style. There is a magnificent Norman west door, and most of the Norman west front remains. The two towers are extremely rare in England, and were started in the early 13th century during the transitional period from Norman to Gothic. The north tower has an octagonal top in the Early English style on a square Norman base while the south tower has two 15th century stages added. Simon Jenkins regards this as one of England's Thousand Best Churches.
Tags: Cornwall St Germans Church of St Germanus Grade I-listed buildings England's Thousand Best Churches
© All Rights Reserved
Like most ancient English churches, the Church of St John the Evangelist at Gressingham in north Lancashire underwent a major refurbishment in the mid-late 19th century - in this case by the renowned Lancaster architect E G Paley. It was originally built in the early 13th century and has some Norman remains. It was then partly rebuilt in 1734, when the tower was constructed. The church is a Grade I-listed building.
Tags: Lancashire Gressingham St John's Church, Gressingham, Grade I-listed buildings churches Grade I-listed buildings
© All Rights Reserved
This is the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Gressingham in north Lancashire. While parts such as a Norman doorway date from the 12th century, the church was rebuilt in 1734 when the tower was built. It was restored in 1862 by the renowned church architect Paley. It is Grade I-listed.
Tags: Lancashire St John's Church, Gressingham, Grade I-listed buildings Grade I-listed churches cameraphone pictures
© All Rights Reserved
The beautiful Grade I-listed Church of St Andrew in Slaidburn in the Forest of Bowland dates from the early 15th century, with alterations made in the 17th century. The east wall was rebuilt in 1866.
The church is unusual for its quantity of good early woodwork. It has 17th century and 18th century pews, including box pews. An 18th century three-decker pulpit has raised and fielded panels, a stair of slim turned balusters, and sounding board with carved entablature. The rood screen, probably of the 1630s but possibly later, has tapering square uprights with capitals, decorated arched openwork heads, openwork frieze and dentilled cornice. The open timber roof is probably from the early 17th century. St Andrew's is considered to be one of England's Thousand Best Churches by Simon Jenkins.
Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the village of Slaidburn is now within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire. The parish covers just over 5,000 acres of the Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Full architectural details of St Andrew's Church can be seen at britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101163738-church-of-st-andre....
Tags: St Andrew's Church, Slaidburn Grade I-listed buildings England's Thousand Best Churches Forest of Bowland Lancashire
© All Rights Reserved