Description

DEWSBURY CB CHURCH LANE
SE 21 NE (Thornhill)

6/26

30/6/49 Church of St. Michael
& All Angels
(formerly listed as
G.V. Thornhill Church)

I

Church. Perpendicular west tower, probably C15, though the base may
be earlier. North chapel (Savile chapel) 1447 extended by one bay
1493. Chancel and South chapel 1490. Nave vestry and some restoration
work 1877 by G. E. Street in Decorated style. Ashlar. Stone slate
roofs with roll-top copings to parapets. 4-bay nave with clerestorey,
north and south aisles, south porch, west tower. 3-bay chancel with
clerestorey and north and south chapels, vestry added to east end of
south chapel. Aisles are buttressed and have tall 2 and 3-light
traceried windows. Gabled south porch has elaborate frieze to parapet
carved with 8 angels and Christ in the apex. Moulded doorway with 3
engraved colonnettes with foliage capitals. Ribbed and vaulted
internally. The square tower is in two tall stages with reducing
diagonal buttresses. West door with moulded surround, west window
probably C19. 8-light mullioned and transomed bell-chamber openings
with 5-foiled lights and traceried heads crenellated parapet on corbel-
brackets and 8 crocketted pinnacles. The north chapel east window is
of 5 lights with cambered head. The tall chancel east window is much
restored and of 6 lights. Both have Perpendicular tracery.
Interior: Important collection of monuments to the Savile family in
the Savile chapel: long effigy of a cross-legged knight in chain-mail
with shield and sword, has head under a canopy, the face restored,
thought to be of Sir John de Thofnhill (c.1260-1322); a tomb chest
with alabaster effigy to Sir Thomas Savile (d. 1449) and his wife, the
chest is divided into 18 ogee-headed panels with weepers; an oak tomb
chest, 1529, formerly under a four-poster canopy, with effigies to
Sir John Savile (d.1503) and his two wives, Alice Vernon and Elizabeth
Paston. The chest is panelled with elaborate quatrefoils; a large
monument, between this chapel and the chancel, to Sir George Savile
(d.1614) and his wife Anne, sister of Sir Thomas Wentworth. Paired
columns to each side support a segmental arch with large achievement
and figure to each side and to top. At the foot of this on the north
side is the kneeling figure of their 2nd son, and on the chancel side
a reclining figure of their 1st son, holding a book and a skull, who
died whilst studying at Oxford; on the north side a dresser tomb to
Sir George Savile (d.1622) attributed to Maximilian Colt, an alabaster
effigy in armour with columns to left and right supporting an entablature
with 2 cartouches, shield and crest, good detailing; in the north-east
corner, a black marble sarcophagus on large square base, to Sir George
Savile of Rufford (d.1743), signed by William Barlow. The back supports
a pediment and has scrolled support; a small alabaster baby lying on its
back and holding a basin for a font, to the 2nd Lord Savile (d.1931) by
Amy Lewis. This was brought from Rufford Abbey in 1948.

In the south chapel are C18 wall memorials to the Elmsall family and
an empty tomb recess in the south wall.
At the base of the tower is a good mid C18 wall memorial, consisting
of a cartouche with supporting cherubs, and a skull and wings at the
base.

Much original glass survives. In the Savile chapel a window on the north
side has the name Thome Savill and the date 1447 (restored 1972). The
east window of the chapel, a 'doom window' and very faded, has the name
Wiliam Sayvile and the date 1493 (restored 1953). The chancel east
window bears the tree of Jesse, and was donated by Robert Frost, parson,
and is dated 1499. Considerably restored in the C19. Other windows
have fragments of early glass. Set in the screen between the chancel
and south chapel is a stained glass escutcheon of Phillip Waterhouse
(d.1614) bearing the motto BEE FAST.

The chancel is arcaded on octagonal piers, with C19 oak screens. The
nave is arcaded on clustered piers. North chapel roof is panelled and
original. Excellent chancel roof of c.1877 with traceried panelling
and cusped and traceried bracings to the 6 irregularly placed tie-beams
each of which ends in a well carved angel. Nave roof is arched braced.
Octagonal panelled stone font with oak ribbed and crocketted cover
c.1866. Elaborate stone pulpit. Organ placed in north aisle c.1981.

N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, 1967.
B. Nuttall, A History of Thornhill (inc. The Church of St. Michael &
All Angels), 1970.

Listing NGR: SE2533318860

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530428

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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