Church Of St Thomas A Becket

HAMPSTHWAITE CHURCH STREET SE 25 NE (west side)

4/14 Church of St Thomas a Becket 15.3.66

GV II

Church. C15 tower, the remainder 1902 by C Hodgson Fowler in Perpendicular style. Coursed squared gritstone and ashlar, grey slate roof. 3-stage west tower, 4-bay nave with south aisle and porch, 2-bay chancel with south vestry. Tower: full-height stepped diagonal buttresses, fine west door in hollow-moulded Gothic arch with hoodmould, restored 3-light pointed Perpendicular window above. 3-light window with reticulated tracery to centre stage, south face; 3-light pointed Perpendicular belfry window to each side. All openings with hoodmoulds. Eaves string course, battlemented parapet with central triangular pilasters, and weather-vane. South porch; chamfered arch has possibly reused masonry; the side walls include medieval and C17 inscriptions and tomb slabs. Nave, vestry and chancel windows have flat, segmental and pointed arches respectively, all with Perpendicular style tracery mostly if 3 lights and all with hoodmoulds. String course at eaves level of porch carried round at sill level to aisle south and east sides. South vestry with pointed south door. Gable coping and finial to east end. Interior: a very tall double-chamfered arch to the tower east wall, the roof line of the earlier nave above. A large bowl- shaped font near the door stands on octagonal base and has a roll moulding at the base. Fine panelling of late C17 date lines the south aisle; the pews probably include reworked seating of the same date. Large white marble monument to Amy Woodforde Finden (1919), a popular musician who composed the Indian Love Lyrics; the sculptor George Wade, design probably by Judini. A small brass depicting a merchant of c1360 and inscribed to the memory of Andrew Dixon (1570) on the north wall of the chancel.

Listing NGR: SE2595159042