Description

TODENHAM MAIN STREET
SP 23 NW
(north side)
1/170 Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury
25.8.60
GV I
Anglican parish church. C14 nave, aisle, chapel transept, south
porch chancel, vestry and tower. North chapel and restoration of
north aisle early C16. Restoration by J.E.K. Cutts 1879. Coursed
squared and dressed limestone, slate roof. Nave with aisle on
north, south transept adjoining porch, west tower, chancel with
chapel and vestry on north. Nave south side: 3-light pointed
window with tracery left of porch. Painted C20 part glazed plank
door with cover strips to porch within roll-moulded arched surround
with stopped hood. Scratch sundial fixed to wall above door,
another incised into wall left of door. Decapitated figure forming
water spout right of door. Buttressed south transept with moulded
plinth with string above. 2-light C19 stone mullionea window with
ogee cusping, similar but original 3-light window at east end of
transept with row of traceried lights at top. Diagonal buttresses
to chancel. Chancel south wall, C19 pointed arched window with
tracery and stopped hood. Plank priests door right within C14
moulded surround with cusped head with engaged finial from apex of
hood. 2-light stone mullioned window with ogee headers lights with
carved spandrels right. String continued around chancel below
windows from south transept stepped up to form hood over priests
door. Plinth continued around chancel also. Siltstone tablet with
eroded inscription to John Mander died 1723, far right. Inscription
flanked by Doric columns with open triangular pediment above,
carved skull within pediment with crossed bones below, heraldic
shield with carved lion head above between decorative brackets
supporting tablet. 5-light pointed C14 window at east end of
chancel with original tracery and hood. 2-light stone mullioned
window with ogee headed lights and carved spandrels at east end of
vestry. North chapel moulded plinth with string above. 2-light
hollow chamfered stone mullioned window with stilted headed lights
and carved spandrels, diamond leaded lights and hood with diamond
stops at east end. Similar 4-light window in north wall, with
plank door with decorative hinges lower right with buttress on
right. North aisle: 3 stepped buttresses. Central north door
(now blocked) within pointed arch with hood with stops in the form
of heads. Two C16 tall stone-mullioned casements with leaded panes
far right and left. Single C19 light with ogee cusping at west
end. 2 stage west tower with diagonal buttresses continued up to
form pinnacles around ribbed, octagonal spire with 2-light lucarnes
with limestone louvres and crocketed ogee heads on each side. 2-
light bellcote windows with stopped hoods and limestone slate
louvres. Roof: slightly stepped gable-end coping to nave chancel
and porch, roll-cross saddles with upright cross finials on porch
and chancel gable ends. Small C14 sanctus bellcote at east end of
nave.
Interior stone roofed porch with double door with fielded panelling
into nave, in deeply moulded pointed arched surround with stopped
hood. Nave: limewashed walls. 3 bay C14 pointed arched arcade to
north aisle with diamond shaped piers without imposts. C14 pointed
arches to chancel, south transept and west tower. Heavily moulded
4-centred arched openings from north aisle to north chapel and from
chapel to chancel. Stone steps up to former rood loft from north
chapel, with remains of C12 scalloped capital below. C14 piscina
with credence shelf and cusped head, now partially obscured by C16
arch, right of C12 capital. Similar piscina in south wall of south
transept which bears traces of medieval wall painting also.
Chancel: plank door within ogee shaped hollow-chamfered surround to
vestry. C14 piscina with credence shelf right of altar with ogee
cusping,Crocketed hood stops, in the form of heads and engaged
finial in south wall. String stepped up over piscina and door to
vestry continued around south transept also. Three C14 stone
sedilia right of piscina with ogee heads with finials one engaged
at apex of each. Medieval trussed rafter roof to chancel, C19
rafter roof to nave. Coloured tile flooring. Fittings: circular
C12 font on octagonal base in south west corner of nave. C18 -
early C19 polygonal pulpit in south east corner of nave with cusped
openwork and carved spandrels. C20 wooden altar, late C19 - early
C20 wooden altar rail supported on wrought iron brackets with
foliate decoration. C19 stained glass in east window of chancel.
Monuments etc: early Victorian hatchment bearing royal arms within
west tower. Hatchment depicting arms of Pole family (q.v. Todenham
Manor) on south wall of transept. White and black marble tablet to
Lady Louisa Pole, died 1852 also on south wall. C18 engraving of
Thomas Merkin, Bishop of Carlisle and rector of Todenham on same
wall. Various C18 recumbent stone ledgers in floor of chancel.
brass plaque to William Moltin, died 1614, depicting 2 kneeling
figures with an inscription in verse on north wall of chancel.
(David Verey, The Buildings of England: The Cotswolds, 1979).

Listing NGR: SP2431636323

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17524638

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

• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)