Church of St Twrog

Church of St Twrog

A geometrical style church comprising a nave with lower and narrower chancel, a north aisle with lower and narrower chapel (also known as the Luxley chapel), and a north-west tower and spire. The building is constructed of snecked red sandstone with a slate roof behind coped gables on moulded kneelers.

The nave is buttressed with a diagonal buttress to the south-west. It has a 4-light west window with hood mould and head stops. In the south wall is a single cusped light to the left of the porch. The porch has a pointed doorway with chamfer dying into the imposts, and a boarded door with strap hinges. To the right of the porch are two 2-light windows.

The chancel has a single cusped light to the left of the gabled vestry. The lower gabled vestry has gablets at the base of the copings and a ridge stack with round shaft. It has a pointed west door with strap hinges and continuous chamfer to the surround. In its south wall is a 2-light window under a shouldered lintel. To the east of the vestry are paired cusped chancel lights above a lean-to boiler room. The chancel and chapel both have 3-light east windows with hood moulds and head stops, but the chapel window is treated more richly with a sill band and clasping north-east buttress. Beneath the chancel window is a blockwork lean-to. Between the chancel and chapel is a gabled buttress. Attached to the chapel east wall are tomb railings. The north side is also buttressed with 3 cusped lights and hood moulds with head stops. Attached to the bay at the west end are railings around the Puxley family vault. The north aisle has two 2-light windows and angle buttresses, of which the north-east is gabled.

The 2-stage tower has angle buttresses to the north-west in the lower stage, and an octagonal south-west stair turret. In the west wall is a single cusped window under a trefoil tracery light. The upper stage is stepped in and has shallow clasping buttresses. Bell openings are 2-light with louvres and with the tracery light infilled, under hood moulds and head stops. The broach stone spire is on a corbel table and has lucarnes in the cardinal directions.

The nave and aisle both have a 6-bay arched-brace roof on corbels. Between them is a 3-bay arcade with segmental pointed arches and 2 orders of chamfer. The 2-centred chancel arch is on moulded corbels and the chancel has a 4-bay keeled wagon roof on corbels. In the aisle, the segmental pointed tower arch has 4 orders of chamfer.

The north chapel is more richly treated. From the aisle its arch is in Decorated style with corbelled shafts to foliage capitals and an arch incorporating a ballflower frieze. Inside, it has a roll-moulded sill band, a 2-bay arcade to the chancel similar to the nave arcade, and a keeled, boarded 4-bay wagon roof on head corbels. Windows have slender rere arches and hood moulds. The chapel is separated from the aisle by a 5-bay wooden screen with brattishing and an ironwork screen between chapel and sanctuary.

An octagonal font stands on a square stem with an ornate base. The polygonal stone pulpit has attached shafts and blind cusped arches. The pews are plain panelled. The communion rail is wooden with arcaded balusters.

The most important monument is a wall tablet in the chapel to Henry Lavallin Puxley (died 1828), by Tyley of Bristol. It features a marble inscription panel below a draped urn and achievement.

Several windows contain stained glass. The east window, dating to around 1894, depicts the Blessing of Christ. In the chapel the east window, by Curtis, Ward & Hughes of London and dated 1908, shows the Nativity. The north chapel windows contain unsigned figures of St John the Evangelist (post 1903), St Columba (post 1936) and St Catherine. Another mid-20th-century window at the east end of the nave depicts 'Feed my Lambs' in conservative style. Other windows are an eclectic mix of late 20th-century glass. The west window dominates, showing various images on agricultural, industrial and ecclesiastical themes set against a blue background, dated 1994 by Janet Hardy. The nave south-west window shows Christ walking on water, dating to around 1995, and the Tree of Life by John Petts, dated 1979. In the chancel south wall are 2 windows with glass signed 'ED/BE', dated 2000, depicting musical instruments and the Last Supper.