Description

ST 8268 BOX CHURCH LANE
(south side)

3/44 Church of St. Thomas a Becket
(formerly listed as Church of St
20 12 60 Thomas)

GV I

Anglican parish church, C12 origins, C14, C15, 1713, 1834 and
restored 1897 by H. Brakspear. Ashlar with stone tile and slate
roofs. Nave with C14 north arcade, north aisle rebuilt 1713 with
C14 north-east chapel, south aisle 1834, crossing tower C14,
possibly earlier, with C15 bell-stage and spire, chancel with C12
origins, C14 and 1713 and projecting 2-storey north-east vestry,
possibly a priest's house of late C14 or C15. Nave has C15 3-light
Perpendicular west window over C16 door in Tudor arched moulded
frame with carved spandrels, hoodmould and 6-panel C18 door. South
aisle of 1834 with slate roof, regular row of 4 Perpendicular style
flat-headed 3-light windows with hoodmoulds and west door in
projecting gabled porch. At east end, rubble stone organ chamber,
added 1900. North aisle rebuilt 1713 with large north-west angle
buttress and 2-light Perpendicular west window possibly original.
North side moulded eaves cornice and two 3-light Perpendicular
style north windows with dripstone over flanking fine 1760 north
doorway. Tuscan-columned surround carrying open segmental pediment
over bolection-moulded arched head to doorway with keystone carried
up to base of pediment and moulded imposts continued behind
columns. East end of north aisle, under continuous roof is
Hazelbury chapel with restored C14 intersecting tracery 3-light
north window and north-east angle buttress similar to aisle north-
west buttress. Crossing tower has plain lower stage, possibly C12
in origins with C14 lancet to north and south and buttresses added
in C15 with bell-stage. Bell-stage has a 2-light opening each
side, pierced parapet, corner pinnacles and recessed octagonal
spire above. Chancel south and east walls were rebuilt 1713,
retaining C14 3-light east window. 1713 Perpendicular style 3-
light south window and blocked door. North wall has much restored
C15 3-light window over 1897 porch. North-east vestry is of rubble
stone, coped north gable and late C14 or C15 2-light Perpendicular
window with hoodmould and carved label stops.
Interior: Nave has broad C19 roof, 1834 4-bay south arcade and C14
north arcade, built in two stages with octagonal piers and caps,
moulded pointed arches and hoodmoulds. East bay opens into
Hazelbury chapel which has C14 moulded rib vault, moulded arch to
north aisle, C14 cusped tomb recess on north wall and fine east
wall altar recess with side colonnettes. Tomb recess has resited
stone effigy of A. Long of Ashley, died 1578. North window has
stained glass of 1899 signed P.H. Newman. North aisle has C18
plastered roof and 3 late c19 or C20 stained glass windows. C15
octagonal font. In nave c1897 stone pulpit. Tower has C14 moulded
arches to west and east and blocked north door. Chancel has C18
plaster roof, Gothic altar and reredos (1897 H.Brakspear) with opus
sectile tile mosaic panels, attached to a low wall, creating east
end vestry space. Blocked north doorway and 1897 north doorway.
East window of c1850 in C19 shafted surround. Numerous monuments
from C17 to C19, notably, in south aisle c1760 elaborate
varicoloured marble wall monument to Margaret Blow and 2 finely
lettered late C17 black marble slabs to Sir George and Francis
Speke of Hazelbury. In nave, east wall armorial plaque to A. Long
died 1578 and in chancel, south wall curved pedimented monument to
T. Goddard, died 1691, north wall Baroque plaque to W. Eyre died
1699 and in east end vestry space 3 Northey memorials from 1750 to
early C19. (M. & A. Devon: St Thomas A Becket Church, Box,
Wiltshire 1984.) -

Listing NGR: ST8230368480

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Thomas A Becket at Wikipedia
• Church of St Thomas A Becket official website
• Wikidata Q17529512

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

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  For the Record