Church Of St Thomas Of Canterbury

LOVINGTON CP ST53SE LOVINGTON VILLAGE 1/55 Church of St Thomas of Cantebury 24.3.61 GV II* Anglican parish church. C13 origins; restored and enlarged in 1861. Local grey lias stone cut and squared, Doulting stone dressings; Welsh slate roof to chancel, plain clay tile roof to nave having bands of fishscale tiles, between coped gables with cross finials, catslide roof to north aisle. Three-cell plan of 2-bay chancel, 3-bay nave and north aisle, with north-east corner vestry, south porch and west tower. Chancel apparently C15, but with east wall rebuilt in C19: plinth, angled corner buttresses, eaves course; 3-light C15 traceried east window, with 2-light window on sides to match, one to north and two to south; between the latter a narrow moulded pointed arched doorway. Nave mostly C19, with a 3-light and a 2-light window in south wall, both with C15 style tracery, divided by C19 porch having plain outer arch and a moulded 4-centre-arched inner doorway, with stoup to right of door and trefoil cusped statue niche over, small 2-light side windows. North aisle a C19 addition; plinth, bay buttresses, chimney to north-east corner; 2-light C15 style traceried windows, with a single light window in west wall; vestry added on east end, having single-light window in east wall and door in recess between vestry and chancel. Tower of C13 origins, modified and possibly heightened in C19: 3 stages double plinth, angled corner buttresses 2 stages high; string courses, the top with gargoyles, plain parapet; north-east corner stair turret one stage high: small west door in moulded 4-centre archway under arched label with foliated square stops, above a simple 2-light window in hollowed arched recess, rather deep, with ornamental cill - otherwise plain to lowest stage: stage 2 plain on all but south face, which has a small thin lancet window of C13; third stage may be C19, with C15 style 2-light pointed arched windows with pierced stone baffles to all faces. Inside, chancel has C15 character; plain plastered barrel vault ceiling, a simple arched piscina and a C15 or C16 surround to an aumbrey in north wall, with door dated 1842; simple double chamfer chancel arch, possibly C14. Nave mostly C19: arched braced roof trusses, some moulded arched recesses in south wall, one possibly a piscina, and also some arches by the pulpit - the arcade C19, as is the north aisle. Furniture includes C17 altar table and a sanctuary chair; font and pulpit Cl9; several C16 bench ends with poppy-head finials to pews. First recorded rector 1318. (Pevsner, Bui1dings of England, South and West Somerset 1958).

Listing NGR: ST5967430836