Church Of St Helen

The Church of St Helen is a Grade II* listed building located on Thornby Church Lane. It dates from the 13th century, with additions from the 14th and 19th centuries. The north aisle was added and the chancel was restored by E.F. Law in 1870. The church is constructed of squared coursed and regular coursed lias with ashlar dressings and has a slate roof.

The layout includes a nave, north aisle, chancel, vestry, and a west tower. The chancel features a south elevation with a two-window range of 14th-century two-light square-headed windows, while the north elevation has a single lancet window that was reset in the 19th century. There is a large 19th-century vestry that is positioned at right angles to the chancel, topped with a gabled roof and ashlar parapets.

The nave's north elevation has a three-window range of 14th-century two-light windows set under 4-centred arches, and it also has a gabled roof with ashlar parapets. The south porch, which was restored in the 19th century, features a double-chamfered outer arch and a double-stopped inner arch, along with ashlar gable parapets that include a finial and a quatrefoil in the gable. The north aisle contains a three-window range of 19th-century two-light windows with cusped tracery and a similar west window. There is a corner porch to the vestry at the east end, which has a lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets.

The west tower consists of three stages, featuring a two-light west window between the first and second stages, and a 4-light Perpendicular bell-chamber opening on each face of the third stage. The tower is topped with a castellated parapet made of limestone ashlar.

Inside, the church has a double-chamfered chancel arch with plain responds, and a 19th-century north nave arcade that consists of double-chamfered arches supported by circular piers. The font is circular and dates from the 12th century, featuring saltire crosses and leaves, and is likely recut.