St Thomas' Church, East Shefford
Encyclopedia
St Thomas' Church, East Shefford, is a redundant
Church of England parish church
at East Shefford in the English
county of Berkshire
. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. The church stands in an isolated position at the end of a private drive overlooking the River Lambourn
, to the southeast of the village of Great Shefford
.
era, but the earliest fabric in the present church dates from the later part of the 11th century. The chancel
was added in the 13th century, a south chapel in the 16th century, and a south porch in the 18th century. Worship ceased in the church in 1870, and its congregation went to a new church dedicated to the Holy Innocents, which has since been demolished. The church was restored
in 1887. The parish
of East Shefford amalgamated with the parish of West Shefford in 1926, becoming the parish of Great Shefford. In 1958 there were plans to demolish St Thomas' but this was prevented by the Friends of Friendless Churches
. The church was vested
in the Redundant Churches Fund, the forerunner of the Churches Conservation Trust in 1972.
and stone, with stone dressings. Parts of the walls are rendered
. The roofs are tiled. Its plan is simple and consists of a nave
with a brick south porch, and a chancel with a south chapel. At the west end is a wooden bellcote with a lead roof. The nave has a Norman
north window and, to its west, a three-light window. In the south wall of the nave is a two-light and a single-light window. The chancel has a four-light window in its north wall and a three-light east window. Cutting through the roof of the chapel is a dormer
window.
effigial monument of Thomas Fettiplace
, who died in 1447, and his wife, Lady Beatrice, who died in 1442. Lady Beatrice was supposedly a member of the royal family of Portugal. On the north wall of the chancel is an altar tomb to John Fettiplace, who died in 1524, and his wife Dorothy. The tomb is plain but it is surrounded by canopy
containing brasses
. On the floor of the chancel are 16th-century tiles. The font
is Norman
and has a cylindrical limestone
bowl. On the south side of the chancel is a Norman limestone pillar piscina
. On the wall above the chancel arch are 12th-century paintings, and on other walls are painted texts.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
at East Shefford in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. The church stands in an isolated position at the end of a private drive overlooking the River Lambourn
River Lambourn
The River Lambourn is a chalk stream in the English county of Berkshire. It rises in the Berkshire Downs near its namesake village of Lambourn and is a tributary of the River Kennet, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-Perennial River:...
, to the southeast of the village of Great Shefford
Great Shefford
Great Shefford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire.-Topography and history:The parish is in the district of West Berkshire, on the River Lambourn. The modern civil parish includes the historical parish of Little or East Shefford, a small hamlet and lost settlement...
.
History
The church has its origins in the pre-NormanNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
era, but the earliest fabric in the present church dates from the later part of the 11th century. The chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was added in the 13th century, a south chapel in the 16th century, and a south porch in the 18th century. Worship ceased in the church in 1870, and its congregation went to a new church dedicated to the Holy Innocents, which has since been demolished. The church was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1887. The parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of East Shefford amalgamated with the parish of West Shefford in 1926, becoming the parish of Great Shefford. In 1958 there were plans to demolish St Thomas' but this was prevented by the Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
. The church was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Redundant Churches Fund, the forerunner of the Churches Conservation Trust in 1972.
Exterior
The church is constructed in flintFlint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
and stone, with stone dressings. Parts of the walls are rendered
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
. The roofs are tiled. Its plan is simple and consists of a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with a brick south porch, and a chancel with a south chapel. At the west end is a wooden bellcote with a lead roof. The nave has a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
north window and, to its west, a three-light window. In the south wall of the nave is a two-light and a single-light window. The chancel has a four-light window in its north wall and a three-light east window. Cutting through the roof of the chapel is a dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
window.
Interior
The major feature inside the church is the alabasterAlabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
effigial monument of Thomas Fettiplace
Fettiplace
Fettiplace is an English family name of Norman descent, with at least 800 years of history. They were landed gentry, chiefly in the counties of Berkshire and Oxfordshire.-Origin:...
, who died in 1447, and his wife, Lady Beatrice, who died in 1442. Lady Beatrice was supposedly a member of the royal family of Portugal. On the north wall of the chancel is an altar tomb to John Fettiplace, who died in 1524, and his wife Dorothy. The tomb is plain but it is surrounded by canopy
Canopy (building)
A canopy is an overhead roof or else a structure over which a fabric or metal covering is attached, able to provide shade or shelter. A canopy can also be a tent, generally without a floor....
containing brasses
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
. On the floor of the chancel are 16th-century tiles. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
and has a cylindrical limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
bowl. On the south side of the chancel is a Norman limestone pillar piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
. On the wall above the chancel arch are 12th-century paintings, and on other walls are painted texts.
See also
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South East England