St Michael and All Angels' Church, Thornton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael and All Angels' Church, Thornton |
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| OS grid reference | SP 752 363 |
| Location | Thornton, Buckinghamshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Status | Former parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Michael |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 13 June 1966 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone rubble |
St Michael and All Angels' Church is an old Anglican church in the village of Thornton, Buckinghamshire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This church is a very important old building, listed as Grade I in the National Heritage List for England. A special group called the Churches Conservation Trust looks after it. You can find the church north of the village, inside the grounds of Thornton Hall. This hall is now a boarding school for girls. The church is also east of the River Ouse, about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) northeast of Buckingham.
Contents
History of St Michael's Church
The very first church on this spot was built in 1219. However, the church building you see today was mostly built in the early 1300s. Originally, it had a main hall called a nave, with a row of windows high up (a clerestory). It also had side sections called aisles to the north and south. There was a special area for the altar (the chancel) with a chapel next to it on the north side. Underneath the north chapel was a burial vault for the Tyrell family, who were important local landowners.
Changes Over Time
In 1620, the north aisle was taken down. The arches that connected it to the main part of the church were then walled up. Between 1780 and 1800, the church was changed a lot. It was made into a simpler, more open space for preaching. The north aisle was rebuilt, and the walled-up arches were opened again. The arch leading to the chancel was blocked, and both the chancel and the north chapel were removed. A new, lower ceiling was added, covering the high clerestory windows, which were then blocked. A balcony (gallery) was built at the west end, and the church floor and seating were updated.
In 1850, a communion rail was put up at the east end. This created a special area called a sanctuary. During the 1900s, the church stopped being a regular parish church. By the 1990s, it was not being looked after very well. On April 1, 1993, the Churches Conservation Trust took over the church. Volunteers from a local archaeological group helped clean the church and its old monuments.
Architecture of the Church
Outside the Church
St Michael's Church is built from rough stone blocks and has lead roofs. It has a main hall (nave) with four sections, and side aisles to the north and south. There is also a tall tower at the west end. The tower has three levels and strong corner supports called buttresses. At the bottom of the tower is an arched doorway. Above it is a window with two lights, in a style called Decorated.
The middle level of the tower has narrow lancet windows. The top level has openings with two lights for the bells. At the very top of the tower is a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. There are also gargoyles, which are carved stone figures that act as water spouts. A wrought iron weathervane shaped like a key sits on top. The main roof of the church has a plain parapet, and the high clerestory windows are blocked. The north and south walls of the aisles have three two-light Decorated windows. These also have battlemented parapets at the top. The large east window was added in the 1800s. It has three lights and is also in the Decorated style.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, you'll see rows of arches (arcades) on the north and south sides. These arches are supported by eight-sided pillars. The ceiling is flat and covered in plaster. The side aisles have box pews, which are like enclosed wooden benches. They are made of pine wood but painted to look like oak. One of these pews, at the east end of the south aisle, is bigger. This was where the lord of the manor (the main landowner) and his family sat. At the east end of the north aisle, there is a simple pulpit where the preacher stands.
At the west end of the church, there is a gallery (balcony) that you reach by a narrow staircase. On the front of this gallery, there is a wooden carving of the royal arms. This carving is made from three different types of wood.
Memorials and Features
The main part of the church (the nave) does not have regular seating. Instead, it holds several memorials. On each side of the entrance to the nave, under the gallery, there is an alabaster effigy (a carved statue of a person). On the left is John Barton, who died in 1437. On the north side is Isabella, his wife, who died in 1457.
In the middle of the nave, you will find the font used for baptisms. Beyond that is another alabaster effigy of a priest from the 1300s. Further on, there is the rebuilt tomb chest of Robert Ingylton. This tomb had been moved out of the church in the early 1800s and used to decorate a garden cave on the estate. Its pieces were found in 1945 and put back together in the church the next year. The top of the tomb has a large brass plate. It shows a man in armor, three wives, and 14 children. All these figures are framed by a decorative canopy with four pointed tops. The sides of the stone chest are carved with small niches that hold figures of saints.
Around the church, you can also find smaller brass plates and memorials on the walls. There is stained glass in the east window and in the south windows. The east window was likely made by William Wailes around 1850. One of the south windows was made by Cox and Son and was dedicated in 1878.
The church does not have a pipe organ. However, there are two harmoniums, which are like small reed organs. One is in the middle of the nave, and the other is built into the preacher's desk. The church has a ring of three bells, but they cannot be rung anymore. The oldest bell was made around 1315. The next was made around 1430 by Richard Hille. The newest bell was cast in 1635 by Richard Chandler I.
See also
