Description

ELSFIELD
SP50NW
4/48 Church of St. Thomas a
18/07/63 Beckett

GV II*

Church. Late C12, late C13 and early C15, restored 1849 and by G.E. Street in
1859. Limestone rubble and ashlar; stone-slate roofs. Nave, chancel, south porch
and vestry. C13 chancel has 3 lancets each side, one later extended downwards,
and a 3-light east window with flowing tracery. C15 south wall of nave has 2
windows of 3 pointed lights under a square head. Small early C19 porch has an
arched entrance containing the old studded door from the C17 square-headed south
doorway. Rebuilt north side of the nave has two C19 lancets. West wall has a
central buttress between C13 lancets and a double bellcote. Interior:
Transitional chancel arch with volute capitals and corner spurs to the bases;
lowered side window in chancel with a stone bookrest; C13 trefoil-headed
piscina; C19 arch-braced roofs. Chancel walls retain areas of C13 painted
masonry and stencil decoration above a C18 mosaic dado and a mosaic reredos of
c.1860 by Salviati. Fittings include a Jacobean pulpit, with arched panels, and
communion rails with bulbous balusters and a carved pulvinated frieze, probably
a reused desk front from late C17 stalls of very high quality. The church has
strong links with Christ Church, Oxford which must be a possible origin. C19
stained glass in east window and 3 lancets in nave. Monuments include a C18
marble wall monument and a C17 black marble ledger.
(V.C.H.: Oxfordshire, Vol.V; Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, pp.591-2).

Listing NGR: SP5405309978

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17549676

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.

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