Thruxton

62 THRUXTON (C.c.).

(O.S. 6 in. XXXIX, S.W.)

Thruxton is a small parish 6 m. S.W. of Hereford. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Bartholomew, stands on the N. side of the parish. The walls are of coursed rubble with ashlar dressings, all of local sandstone; the roofs are covered with stone slates. The church, consisting of Chancel, Nave, West Tower and South Porch, was re-built about the middle of the 14th century. The church was extensively restored in 1866 and the S. porch largely re-built.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (17½ ft. by 21¼ ft.) has a mid 14th-century E. window of three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a two-centred head. In the N. wall is a window of the same date and of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with a moulded label. In the S. wall is a window, similar to that in the N. wall but without a label; farther W. is a 14th-century doorway, now blocked, and with chamfered jambs and two-centred head. The 14th-century chancel-arch is two-centred and of two continuous chamfered orders.

The Nave (30 ft. by 21 ft.) has, in the N. wall, two windows, the eastern of late 13th-century date, re-set, and of two trefoiled lights with a pierced spandrel in a segmental-pointed head with a moulded label; the western window is similar in date and detail to that in the N. wall of the chancel but has no label; between the windows is a 15th-century doorway, now blocked; it has chamfered jambs and a four-centred head. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern of c. 1330, and of two trefoiled ogee lights in a square head; the western window is similar to the corresponding window in the N. wall; the 14th-century S. doorway has chamfered jambs and two-centred head.

The West Tower (9¼ ft. square) is of three stages, undivided externally and finished with an embattled parapet. In the E. wall of the ground-stage is a 14th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and segmental-pointed head; above it, on the E. face, is a recess with a chamfered two-centred head. In the W. wall is a square-headed loop. There is a larger loop in the W. wall of the second stage. The bell-chamber has in each wall a mid 14th-century window of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head.

The South Porch is of timber and of 14th-century origin, but considerably restored. The S. gable has original bargeboards forming a sub-cusped trefoil. The roof is of two bays with cambered tie-beams and curved braces; below the purlins are cusped wind-braces forming a trefoiled arch in each bay.

The Roof of the chancel is of the 14th century and of trussed-rafter type. The 14th-century roof of the nave is of similar type but of rather steeper pitch with braces of scissor-form.

Fittings—Bells: 1st probably from the Gloucester foundry, 14th-century. Brackets: In chancel—on E. wall, two moulded brackets each with a square vertical hole or mortice cut in it, 14th-century. Coffin-lid: re-set as lintel of S.E. window of nave, portion of slab with remains of incised cross, 13th-century. Communion Table: In tower—of oak, with chamfered legs, moulded rails and stretchers, 17th-century, modern top. Consecration Cross: In nave—on soffit of lintel of N. doorway, formy cross in round sunk panel, 13th-century. Door: In nave—in S. doorway, of battens with strap-hinges, ring-handle and round scutcheon-plate, 17th-century. Font: (Plate 39) octagonal with moulded bowl and necking, plain stem and splayed base cut from octagonal to square, inscription round bowl, "This font was made Marc the 16th, 1677," inscription on base, "Baptismus est ablutio peccatorum." Glass: In chancel—in S. window, collection of fragments including border of crowns, two quarries with covered cups, rosettes, castles and a lion, in head of window a Crucifixion, all 14th-century, re-set with modern glass. Inscription: In chancel—on sill of N. window, "Omnium in hoc uno versatur summa laborum Caelestem toto corde timere Deum," 17th-century. Plate: includes cup of 1633 with baluster-stem, Elizabethan cover-paten with inscribed date 1577, and an early 18th-century pewter alms-dish. Stoup: In nave—E. of S. doorway, half-round recess with semi-domed head, deep round bowl with front broken away, 14th or 15th-century.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). Thruxton Court, farmhouse, 80 yards W. of the church, is of two storeys with cellars to the S. wing; the walls are partly of brick and partly of stone and the roofs are covered with stone slates. The W. wing was built early in the 16th century. The E. wing, which runs at right angles to it, is probably of the 17th century, but appears to have been largely altered and refronted in the 18th century. There is a later addition on the N. side of this wing. Inside the building, the southernmost room in the W. wing has a ceiling divided into four main compartments by moulded beams and each compartment is sub-divided into four panels by intermediate moulded beams. Some of the other rooms have chamfered ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good.

(3). Exchequer Court, house and barn, 160 yards E. of the church. The House is of two storeys; the walls are of timber-framing and brick, and the roofs are covered with slates. It was built in the 17th century on an H-shaped plan with the cross-wings at the E. and W. ends. Late in the 18th century, the whole house except the E. wing was faced with brick, an attic storey added and the interior remodelled; an addition was probably made to the W. wing at this time, and further alterations and additions have been made in modern times. There is some exposed timber-framing at the N. end and E. side of the E. wing. The chimney-stack, on the N. side, is of c. 1700, with projecting pilaster-strips to the upper part. Inside the building, the E. wing has two chamfered ceiling-beams.

The Barn, immediately E. of the house, is of two storeys timber-framed and with modern brick nogging. It was built in the 17th century. The ground-floor ceiling has exposed beams and joists.

Condition—Of house, good.

(4). Cottage, on S. side of the main road, 800 yards E. of the church, is of one storey with attics. It is a 17th-century timber-framed building with plaster and brick infilling on a stone plinth and has a slate roof. The S. front has been refronted with later brickwork.

Condition—Fairly good.

Unclassified

(5). Mound, 100 yards W. of the church, is circular with traces of a surrounding ditch and a slight outer bank on the N.W. It is about 42 yards in diameter and 17 ft. high, above the bottom of the ditch. The base of the slope has been cut away on the E. side, and on the top is a slight bank, probably modern, forming a ring-shaped enclosure. The mound is said to have been opened about 50 years ago and to have contained a rude chamber of stones.

Condition—Poor.