Description

SD53SW
941-1/1/175

PRESTON
LANCASTER ROAD (West side)
Former Church of St Thomas

27/09/79

GV II

Church, now recreation and day care centre. 1837-9, altered.
By John Latham. Sandstone ashlar, slate roof. Nave with north
and south aisles, east tower and small apsidal chancel beyond
this. Romanesque style, with round-headed openings throughout.
Six-bay nave and aisles, both with pilaster strips and
the nave with a corbel-table to each bay, and both with one
simple round-headed window in each bay except the ends of the
aisles which have Norman-style doorways, that on the north
side in a gabled porch and more elaborately decorated
including set-in shafts with cushion capitals. The west front
has a window in a large Norman-style arch with 2 orders of
moulding including set-in shafts with carved cushion capitals,
an inner multi-layered zig-zag band and an outer nail-head
band; windows on 2 levels each side, a small 3-light window
over the arch, a large wheel window above, nail-head
enrichment to the eaves, and an apex cross. The 3-stage tower,
embraced at the base by vestries continued from the aisles
(with hipped roofs), the first 2 stages with string-courses
and clasping pilasters, has a window in each side of the 2nd
stage, with set-in shafts and roll-moulding, a slightly set
back belfry stage with a string-course and roll-moulded
corners, and a window in each side with 2 recessed lights,
shafts and nail-head and roll-moulding to the arch. The
5-sided apsidal chancel has corner shafts with carved caps,
string-course, plain frieze and a nail-head cornice, and one
window in each side.
INTERIOR: altered by insertion of upper floor (etc), but
retains cylindrical piers of arcades (arches visible at 1st
floor but now blocked), massive inverted conical corbels to
east and west tower arches (which are now concealed), at the
east end of the upper floor a large 2-light window (to the
tower) with a column and imposts, and many stained glass
windows.

Listing NGR: SD5371930253

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Thomas' Church at Wikipedia
• St Thomas' Church official website
• Wikidata Q16932736

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

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)