Church Of St Thomas Of Canterbury

The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury is a parish church located on Church Hill in Kingswear, established in 1837, having previously served as a Chapel of Ease for St Mary's in Brixham. The only remnant of the medieval church, which dates back to the early 13th century, is the 14th-century tower made of slate rubble. The rest of the church was rebuilt in 1847 by J Hayward of Exeter using local limestone rubble with freestone dressings in a Decorated style. The church features slate roofs, a nave and chancel that are combined, and a south aisle with two-light windows on both the north and south sides, as well as four-light west windows and three-light east windows, all designed in the Decorated style. There is a gabled south porch with a moulded arch doorway, and the hood moulds are adorned with carved head stops.

The short 14th-century west tower is located at the north side of the existing nave and has an embattled parapet that is slightly corbelled on a coved string. The tower includes late 19th-century lancet bell-openings, a north window, a clock face, and diagonal buttresses at its base. An early 20th-century vestry, designed in the Arts and Crafts style, is situated on the west side of the tower and incorporates some of the old wall on the south side. Additionally, there is an early 20th-century organ chamber on the north side of the chancel.

Inside, the church features a four-bay south arcade with octagonal piers, moulded capitals, and double-chamfered two-centred arches. The roofs of the nave and aisle are supported by arched braces to collars, which rest on carved angel corbels, with king-posts above the collars and two tiers of wind braces. There is an early 20th-century Arts and Crafts moulded arch leading to the organ chamber on the north side of the chancel. The church also contains a carved wooden pulpit and Arts and Crafts choir stalls and seating from 1921. A 15th-century octagonal font, featuring cusped quatrefoils with shields, is in poor condition. A coffin lid from the late 13th century and some 18th-century tomb slabs can be found on the floor of the nave. In the porch, there is a framed drawing of the church dated 1841, prior to the rebuilding in 1847.