Description

THURGARTON THURGARTON PRIORY
SK 64 NE DRIVE (east side)
4/103
Church of
11.8.61 St. Peter (formerly
listed as The Priory Church)
G.V.
I
Parish church, former Priory church. Founded c.1119-39 by Ralph
de Ayncourt for canons of the order of St. Augustine. Dissolved
1534. Early C13, restored 1852-3 by T. C. Hine when the chancel
was added and the north aisle renewed. Ashlar with some coursed
rubble. Slate roofs. Coped gables with decorative ridge cross
finials to the east chancel and remains of finials to the east
and west nave with finial to east end of north aisle. The north
aisle, porch, south nave and chancel are buttressed and set on a
plinth with moulded band over. All buttresses here with
triangular hood moulds and head or decorative label stops. 2
tower west front now only with north west tower, nave, north
aisle, north porch and chancel. C13 west end with moulded plinth
and band over. Central bay with pointed arched doorway, the
right side has 9 colonnettes, a larger alternating with a
smaller, the left side has 2 remaining colonnettes. The moulded
arch has 5 bands of dogtooth. Over is a dogtooth hood mould with
remains of impost bands. Above is a single C19 window consisting
of 5 moulded pointed arched arcades graduating in height from the
centre downwards. The central 3 arcades have lights. Flanking
each arcade are single colonnettes with 2 flanking the central
light. There is a continuous hood mould with 6 decorative label
stops and a sill band under. In the gable apex is a single C19
decorative quatrefoil set in a circle. To the left are
fragments of an earlier, probably C13, build. To the right is
the house, listed as a separate item. The embattled C13 tower
with remnants of 4 pinnacles is of 6 stages with bands. The
clasping buttresses rise to the bell chamber openings, the left
buttress being larger. West wall with pointed arched doorway
originally with 5 colonnettes either side, but the left now with
3 and the right with 2, alternating a larger with smaller. The
moulded arch has 3 bands of dogtooth with a dogtooth hood mould
and right impost band. Above is a damaged 4 bay blind arcade
with pointed chamfered arches, colonnettes and continuous hood
mould. Above is a pointed arched window with dogtooth hood mould
and worn label stops. In the left buttress is a 3 bay blind
arcade with colonnettes, moulded pointed arches and continuous
hood mould with 3 worn label stops. The central arcade with
single rectangular light. The right buttress has a single
similar larger arcade with 2 engaged octagonal columns and hood
mould. Extending over all and stepped to accommodate the central
window is a continuous hood mould. Above this window is a single
rectangular light and in the right buttress a single blind arcade
with 2 colonnettes either side supporting a moulded pointed arch,
containing a single rectangular light. Above, traversing tower
and buttresses is a 6 bay blind arcade with pointed moulded
arched colonnettes, some with nailhead capitals and continuous
nail head hood mould. The single arcade of the right buttress
has a single carved grotesque. The tower with 3 arcades the
outer each with a single lancet with chevron decoration to the
arch. Over the right arcade of the left buttress and the arcade
of the right buttress are triangular arches decorated with
dogtooth, marking the termination of the buttresses. At the
angles of each buttress and at stages where there is no
decoration are single engaged colonnettes. The north side of the
tower with similar clasping buttresses, that on the right being
larger, is set on a plinth with moulded band over. At the first
stage is a single rectangular stair light. Above, in the right
buttress is a 3 bay blind arcade with pointed moulded arches, the
central arch decorated with dogtooth, colonnettes and hood mould
with 4 decorative label stops. The east side of the buttress has
a single similar arcade. Above, in the tower, is a single lancet
and in the right buttress, east side, a single rectangular stair
light. Above, traversing tower and buttresses, is a 6 bay blind
arcade corresponding to that at the same stage on the west side
with 2 similar lights in the tower arcading. However, all but 2
of the capitals are decorated with worn nail head. There are 3
decorative label stops and the right arcade of the right buttress
has a single small arched light with dogtooth hood mould. Above,
in the buttresses, are triangular arches with dogtooth hood
moulds, the right arch with single small arched light with
chevron to jambs and arch. The east side has a single lancet.
Above, traversing this front, is a 4 bay blind arcade with
pointed moulded arches and colonnettes with nail head capitals
and continuous nail head hood mould with 3 label stops. The left
and third left arcades have single lancets with chevron
decoration to the arches. The second left arcade has a single
clock face. The south front has 2 arched lights with continuous
nail head hood mould. Each side of the bell chamber has 2 arched
openings each opening flanked by single colonnettes with moulded
capitals which rise from impost level. Either side are 2 bay
blind arcades with similar colonnettes and pointed moulded
arches. Over, extending around all 4 sides, is a continuous nail
head hood mould with 20 decorative label stops. Attached to the
north west buttress is a dressed coursed rubble wall with ashlar
coping having a pointed arched doorway with hood mould and 2
large grotesque corbels to the west side and a single carved
human head to the apex of the east side. The C19 north aisle has
a C19 gabled and coped porch with decorative ridge finial and low
angle buttresses. C13 moulded arched entrance with 2 colonnettes
either side with worn stiff-leaf capitals. Hood mould over with
worn human head label stops. Inner C13 moulded arched doorway
with 2 colonnettes and moulded capitals either side. Arch with
single band of dogtooth. Dogtooth hood mould with decorative
label stops. To the left is a single C19 arched 3 light window
with cusped tracery, hood mould and decorative label stops, each
light flanked by single colonnettes with decorative capitals.
Below and adjacent to the wall is a hollow C13 ashlar coffin with
remains of lid. In the east wall is a single C19 arched 3 light
window with cusped tracery, hood mould, human head label stops
and similar flanking colonnettes. C19 chancel has in the north
wall a canted bay with blind arcading having 5 bays to the front
and single bay to each side. The arcades with colonnettes,
moulded capitals, pointed moulded arches and continuous hood
mould with 8 decorative label stops. Over is a single central
trefoil. The east end has a single pair of C19 arched 2 light
windows each with cusped tracery, each light is flanked by a
single colonnette with moulded capital, that on the far left with
decorated capital. 3 further larger colonnettes support moulded
arches over. There is a continuous hood mould. Over, set into a
circle is a single cinquefoil with hood mould and decorative
label stops. The south chancel has 2 C19 arched 2 light windows
with cusped tracery. Each light flanked by single colonnettes
with decorative capitals, hood mould and decorative label stops.
The C19 south nave has a single C19 arched 3 light window with
cusped tracery, hood mould and decorative label stops. To the
left is the attached house. Interior. 3 bay nave arcades, both
sides with double chamfered arches and hood moulds to nave sides.
The C13 south arcade of the now demolished aisle has a large
octagonal column with 4 octagonal colonnettes. All with
overhanging moulded capitals. The large cluster column to the
west has attached columns and colonnettes with moulded
overhanging capitals, the centre column on each side with single
fillet. The western respond has a single central large circular
column with single fillet flanked by single smaller columns. The
eastern respond has a single circular column with single fillet
which continues into the capital, flanked by single colonnetttes
with single shaft rings, either side are single circular columns.
All with moulded capitals. The north side, renewed 1852-3, has a
large octagonal column with 4 colonenettes and overhanging
moulded capitals. The cluster column to the west and the
responds correspond to those of the south arcade. The north
aisle/north tower double chamfered arch is supported on the
cluster column of the arcade and on the north side on a circular
column with single fillet flanked by single smaller columns. C19
moulded chancel arch supported on each side by 3 engaged circular
columns, the central columns with single fillets all with foliate
capitals. Over is a dogtooth hood mould and human head label
stops. The vaulting shafts, some supported by the arcade
columns, have single shaft rings and fillets and now support the
C19 roofs. The south side of the tower has evidence of a twin-
opened gallery. North chancel has a moulded arch supported on
engaged colonnettes with moulded capitals, hood mould and
figurative label stops, this contains the organ. In the south
nave wall is a doorway leading to the house. Over the altar is a
fine elaborate and decoratively carved early C14 bracket with
canopy. Flanking all windows are single colonnettes with
fillets, most also have hood moulds and decorative label stops.
Restored C13 ashlar altar slab. Set of 3 C15 choir stalls with
misericords with decoratively carved heads, figures and foliage.
Elaborately carved chair. C19 octagonal font. C19 benches with
blind traceried ends. Good C19 pulpit. C17 and C18 floor slabs.
South nave has a C12 ashlar coffin with remains of a lid. In the
north aisle is a monument to Susanna Gilbert Cooper, 1751 and
John Gilbert Cooper. The 2 inscriptions are divided by a single
decorative pier decorated with a roundel with carved head. The
pier breaks into the pedimented crown and supports some carved
books. The inscriptions have a fluted surround with paterae and
the apron is decorated with a garland.

Listing NGR: SK6917349192

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Priory Church of St. Peter, Thurgarton at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7245491

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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