Description

PUDDINGTON PUDDINGTON
SS 81 SW
3/215 Church of St Thomas of Canterbury
-
26.8.65 (formerly listed as Parish Church
of St Thomas a Becket)
GV II*

Small parish church. Late C15; thoroughly restored in 1838 by W Bowden including
rebuild of nave and chancel and addition of north aisle and south porch. Original
work of roughly squared blocks of mostly volcanic trap but including some purple
mudstone, restoration work of snecked volcanic and mudstone; volcanic ashlar and
Beerstone detail; slate roofs, with crested ridgetiles to north aisle. Continuous
nave and chancel under same roof, north aisle, west tower and south porch. Late
Perpendicular throughout. Low unbuttressed west tower with moulded plinth and
embattled parapet. Tower fabric largely original C15 but most of detail replaced in
1838. All belfry windows are restored Beerstone twin round-headed lights and south
side has small flat-arch headed window to ringing loft immediately above drip course
level which survives only on west and north sides. West side of tower is roughcast
and includes now blocked original volcanic stone doorway with 2-centred arch,
moulded surround and cushion stops. Restored Beerstone window above door is square-
headed, 2-lights with flat-arched heads, sunken spandrels and hoodmould with simple
labels. Stair turret projects square from north side and includes tiny unrestored
volcanic stone lancet windows. 2-window front to nave, both Beerstone, square-
headed, 2-lights with cinquefoil heads, sunk spandrels and hoodmould. Left end
window maybe only partly restored but right window apparently wholly 1838 work. C19
gabled porch between 2 windows has plain round-headed front arch which includes a
studded plank door with applied trellis pattern on front. Nave and chancel right of
porch appear to be completely rebuilt in C19 of snecked masonry without a plinth.
Chancel has single south-facing window, an arch-headed Beerstone lancet with
cinquefoil head. East end of chancel has 1838 Beerstone almost round-headed 3-light
window with cinquefoil heads, Perpendicular-style tracery and simple hoodmould. The
gable end has stone coping surmounted by a fleuree cross. East end of north aisle
is set back a little from end of chancel and includes a Beerstone 3-light window
similar to that in chancel. North front of aisle has Beerstone single light lancet
window with cinquefoil head to east chapel at left end, a buttress to right, then 3
Beerstone square-headed 2-light windows with cinquefoil heads and sunken spandrels,
no hoodmoulds. Blind roughcast west gable end.
Interior: porch has plain plastered vault and benches each side. Plain restored
arch-headed south door. Ceiled wagon roof to nave was extensively restored in 1838
but appears to include some reused timber. Chancel has ceiled wagon roof of
entirely 1838 work and contemporary north aisle has ceiled flat-arched roof with
exposed chamfered ribs. Plain high tower arch is probably C15. Beerstone 4 bay
1838 Perpendicular style arcade from nave to north aisle, with one bay overlapping
into chancel. It comprises moulded piers with plain capitals and low flat arches
between. C18 fielded panel oak wainscotting to nave and plainer 1838 wainscotting
to north aisle. Chancel includes C18 black and white marble chequer floor but altar
on 1838 encaustic tile floor. Most of furnishings are C19 including mahogany altar
rail on gilded gothic-style iron supports with spiral twist centre sections cusped
brackets with fleur-de-lys. 1838 gothic-style oak choir stalls incorporate high
quality C17 oak bench with highly ornamented chip-carved 2-panel back, and front of
seat rail and legs are also carved, the latter with guilloche. 1838 Perpendicular-
style hexagonal stem pulpit with fielded panel sides with crockets and finials
between and richly-carved cornice. C20 oak lectern. Oak benches are 1838 work but
incorporate some late C15-early C16 bench ends with simple geometric or linenfold
decoration with moulded surrounds. Good late Perpendicular Beerstone font; square
base, octagonal stem carved with arched panels and cinquefoil heads, the corner
panels including shields over the bold cushion stops; roll moulding below bowl and
sides of bowl carved with alternate arches with cinquefoil heads and quatrefoils.
1838 gothic-style timber screen to tower. No monuments of note. North aisle has
painted board recording gift in 1662 by Humphrey Brooke of Cruwys Morchard of £10 to
the poor; it is dated 1729 when William Pleace was church warden. Some moderate
stained glass of 1867 and 1872 (nave) and 1877 (north aisle chapel). Sill of west
window of nave has plaque containing moulded plaster skull and crossbones rescued
from the C17 Blagdon monument in Honiton Church after fire of 1911. North aisle has
display of 2 bells and part of a mid-C16 oak bell frame: the tenor is inscribed with
letters of alphabet and thought by Reverend J G Scott to be C16 rather than C14, the
treble is inscribed "John Blackdon: Ward. 1742. TW" and was cast by Thomas Wroth of
Wellington. A second trefoil of 1787 cast by Thomas Bilbie of Cullompton is still
in use.

Listing NGR: SS8335210659

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530813

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)