Church of the Week
Thorner, Yorkshire
St Peter’s in Thorner, Yorkshire, our Church of the Week, was rebuilt by Yorkshire architects. The church was originally built in the 15th century in the Perpendicular Gothic style, which is characterised by pointed arches, large windows and high ceilings working to create dramatic, soaring spaces. By the middle of the 19th century, the church needed substantial rebuilding. The Halifax and Bradford-based architects Mallinson and Healey were chosen for the job. James Mallinson and Thomas Healey worked in partnership from the 1840s until the 1860s, designing or reconstructing more than 30 churches across Yorkshire. The original 15th-century limestone tower was kept intact, and the eastern end of the church was rebuilt in keeping with the original Perpendicular Gothic features. Today, if you visit the church, you’ll find 19th-century pews and choir stalls with carved poppyheads, several beautiful stained-glass windows, and some interesting wall tablets and memorials, including one to John Philips who is said to have died in 1625 age 117 – which would make him one of the oldest people ever to have lived! By 2020, the church needed masonry repairs. A grant from the National Churches Trust helped pay for the work needed to keep this fascinating church open and thriving.
View Thorner St Peter
