Church Of St Thomas

NESTON

SJ2778 SCHOOL LANE, Parkgate Village 794-1/4/90 (South side) 05/09/95 Church of St Thomas

GV II

Congregational chapel, now parish church. 1843. Coursed dressed, red sandstone with stone dressings; slate roof with stone copings and moulded kneelers; square turret-like finial to east gable. EXTERIOR: single tall storey; 5-bay continuous nave and chancel on low weathered plinth, but east and west windows blocked on north and south elevations. Lancet windows, under Gothic hoodmoulds, have steeply weathered sills, splayed reveals and three tiers of cast-iron petaloids under apex quatrefoils. Stepped lancets in the west gable-end are blocked as in an oculus in the gable apex. Gothic headed east door, of plain oak boards, under hoodmould in slightly projecting porch with crenellated capping. This is surmounted by a lancet window with similar proportions and glazing to those in the nave. The porch is flanked by small narrow flat headed windows with splayed reveals and heads and steeply weathered sills containing simple metal casements. The gallery window is flanked by plain shield projections and there is a wall-mounted bell to the south. A framed, ledged and braced chancel door, north is approached up four steps with a plain metal handrail and is surmounted by a half depth blocked window. Ogee moulded eaves gutter supported by stone corbels. INTERIOR: continuous nave and chancel but with all the sanctuary windows blocked. Oak altar with front divided into three panels. Cross and crown of thorns motif to centre under a pentafoil head and flower, foliage, shell, motifs to sides under ogee arched heads. Light oak communion rail with reeded supports in pairs, ogee arched heads to opening and shell spandrels. 1948 panelled oak memorial pulpit also with the shell motif and a dentil capping. Oak lesson readers desk with modest carving. Two benches placed lengthways with panelled front rail. Oak benches generally. Rear gallery supported by two octagonal timber columns is fronted by crossed moulds to form three diamond shapes flanking a centre circle. A pipe organ occupies the north end of the gallery. The combined nave/chancel roof is supported by four simple arched trusses off stone corbels. These have circle and dagger

perforations at wallplate level. A single 6-panel door, with small centre panels and cusped trefoil heads to upper panels, leads to the porch which has similar doors to the gallery steps, vestry and small utility room.

Listing NGR: SJ2790378248