Description

WIGSTON
BLABY ROAD, SOUTH WIGSTON
SP59 NE (North Side)

3/18 Church of St. Thomas

GV II*

Parish Church. 1892-3 with tower of 1901, by Stockdale Harrison. Brick with
wide sweeping Westmorland slate roof. West tower offset to south. Clasping
buttresses are articulated by stone gablets, and turning through an angle run
up to form the corners of the embattled parapet: the central articulation of
this parapet is also angled. Canted stair turret projects in the north wall
with a stone capping roof above a thin band of window. Windows in the upper
stage are paired single lancets with applied foiled tracery and louvres. From
the springing of their arches a stone band articulates this stage. Entrance
in the south wall of the tower, the arch moulding dying into the clasping
buttresses. Tall lead fleche caps the tower. The west wall is articulated by
decorative brick bands and 5 separate lancet windows slightly stepped in
height with relieving arches over, and clasped by buttresses. Below these is
aismall lean-to with 3 arched lights. At the gable apex a wood bell canopy is
corbelled out. Lead fleche caps the tower. Entrance in south face of tower,
the arch moulding dying into the clasping buttresses. The wide spanning nave
is of 7 bays, precisely articulated by buttresses between the paired lancet
windows. The chancel is of 3 bays, with high lancet windows. Inside the
enormous single volume of the church is striking. The walls, like the
exterior, are articulated by buttresses and the windows are placed high up
above a yellow brick sill band. From corbels on the buttresses the roof
trusses spring: curved braces support a flat tie beam with which purlins form
square panelled decoration above the ceiling. The chancel arch is clasped by
buttresses and flanked by lesser arches, one of which is blind. It is a
stripped down style with minimal capitals and no moulding. Square Jacobean
style pulpit and chancel fittings. Chancel windows set in deeper embrasures.
Reredos of 1913, simplified panels with tiny carved frieze in each bay.
Stained glass of 1919 in the east window, a pictorial style. In the south
wall a series of windows of 1922 in a painterly Renaissance style. On the
west wall a painted triptych depicts Mary and Child with two Angels.

Listing NGR: SP5864698346

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Thomas at Wikipedia
• Church of St Thomas official website
• Wikidata Q17542783

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

• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)