Church Of St Thomas The Martyr

UP HOLLAND

SD5205 CHURCH STREET 783-1/7/31 (East side) 07/01/52 Church of St Thomas the Martyr

GV I

Parish church, the nave formerly the chancel of the Benedictine Priory of Up Holland founded in 1317-18 by Walter Lang, Bishop of Lichfield. Early C14 nave with north and south aisles (restored C19), late C15 west tower, chancel of 1882-6, with crypt. Coursed rubble; slate roofs. The tower, of 4 unequal stages, with diagonal buttresses which have 8 set-offs, has a low 2-centred arched west doorway with 3 orders of hollow moulding containing masks, shields, figures and Tudor roses; a large C19 2-centred arched 3-light west window with reticulated tracery; a drip-band, and 2-light belfry windows with stone louvres, a short top stage with clock faces, a drip-band over this with grotesques, and an embattled parapet with corner pinnacles; and, in the angle of the north side, a low Tudor-arched doorway with chamfered surround. The junction of the north aisle and the tower incorporates a redundant quatrefoil pier of the former crossing, and to the left of this a 2-centred arched 4-light window with C19 intersecting tracery. The 4-bay aisles have large buttresses and 2-centred arched C19 windows with reticulated tracery, and similar windows at the east end. The chancel is 2 bays over a crypt, with a short extruded polygonal stair-turret down to the crypt, flanked by low 2-light windows to the crypt and transomed 2-light windows above; its east end has 2 doorways to the crypt, and a large 5-light east window with elaborate reticulated tracery including a rose composed of mouchettes and quatrefoils. INTERIOR: 4-bay aisle arcades of quatrefoil columns with moulded annular caps and 2-centred arches with 2 orders of rounded chamfer and hoodmoulds with carved stops; 2-centred tower moulded in 3 orders with moulded impost bands; large 2-centred chancel arch moulded in 3 orders; C20 ceilings; 2 painted hatchments in each aisle, painted wooden Commandment Table and 2 painted wooden benefaction lists in south aisle, and painted Arms of George I in north aisle. At west end of nave, a fine Church Wardens' pew dated 1679, with muntin-and-rail panelling and top rail with raised lettering: WILLIAM: GASKELL: OF: HOLLAND: AND: ROBERT: BIRC/ HALL: OF: ORREL: CHURCH: WARDENS: THIS: YEARE: 1679. In base of tower, a Church Wardens' cupboard dated 1720 with shouldered fielded panel doors, the lintel inscribed: "Thomas Prescott Lawrence Eaton/ Wardens 1720" and both doors with inscribed scriptural quotations relating to charity. Forms group with stone piers and lamp at foot of steps (qv), Conservative Club to south-west (qv), remains of former Up Holland Priory (qv) and No.7, Priory House (qv) to south.

Listing NGR: SD5231005106