Brightside: St Thomas
Overview
Grid reference: SK 378 901
The style of church loosely known as "Commissioners Gothic" had by the 1850's almost completely disappeared as a result of the persuasive writings of the ecclesiologists. Gone were the wide low pitched roofs, the towers placed in the middle of the west front and short chancels. Instead architects provided churches with open timber roofs of steeper pitch, a tower (and probably a spire) placed asymmetrically, long chancels and perhaps even transepts. St. Thomas's Brightside is a good example of the transitional stage and shows a considerable awareness of the aims which the ecclesiologists desired.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Four-bay nave with south aisle and south-west tower and spire; chancel with north vestry.
Description of Archaeology and History
By Flockton and Son of Sheffield, 1852-4; the architects estimated that the building would cost £1,527, and the Commissioners gave £100 from the Second Parliamentary Grant. William Flockton (1804-1864) and his son Thomas James Flockton (1825-1900) were responsible for a number of churches in the Sheffield area including (for the Commissioners), St. Jude, Eldon (by the father alone); Christ Church, Pitsmoor; St. Matthew, Carver Street; and St. Jude, Moorfields.
Exterior Description
The style of church loosely known as "Commissioners Gothic" had by the 1850's almost completely disappeared as a result of the persuasive writings of the ecclesiologists. Gone were the wide low pitched roofs, the towers placed in the middle of the west front and short chancels. Instead architects provided churches with open timber roofs of steeper pitch, a tower (and probably a spire) placed asymmetrically, long chancels and perhaps even transepts. St. Thomas's Brightside is a good example of the transitional stage and shows a considerable awareness of the aims which the ecclesiologists desired. The best aspect of the church is not from the approach but the far side, where the ground slopes away from the building, and from this point the component parts of south-west tower and spire, south aisle, nave and chancel group quite well into a coherent whole, even though the ecclesiologists might not have thought the chancel long enough, and would surely have demanded a clerestory to the nave.
The tower is quite short, with only two stages of which the lower has a two-centred arch forming the entrance to the church and the upper two small trefoil-headed lancets with slate louvres in each face indicating the belfry. The spire also is short and rises directly from the wall-head of the tower with low broaches at each corner. There are angle buttresses at the exposed corners of the tower. The nave is aisleless on the north and here the four bays are divided by short buttresses, each pierced with a two-light window with a trefoil for tracery. The west window is of three lights, all of equal height, again with a trefoil for tracery. The western corners of the nave have diagonal buttresses. The south aisle is also divided into bays by buttresses, and here the windows are neccessarily rather lower; they have ogee heads to the paired lights. The nave roof rises above a shallow height of wall at the head of the aisle roof, unfortunately not tall enough to allow for a clerestory which would have improved the design. The chancel has two windows in the south wall, an east window with three roundels above the three main lights and a small vestry on the north side.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
c.1880
The east window, of three lights, has a panel representing Christ the Good Shepherd flanked by panels of grisaille.
Stained Glass
1859
The west window, dated 1859, is mostly clear-glazed with a shield of arms centrally showing azure, a winged horse argent.
Interior
Interior Description
The church is entered through a stone-flagged chamber at the foot of the tower from which a stone spiral staircase leads to the west nave gallery, and thus the south aisle is reached. The walls are plastered and painted white leaving the stonework of the south arcade exposed. This is simple composition of octagonal pillars with moulded capitals and double-chamfered arches. All the windows in the church have plain reveals and the glazing was renewed some years ago to designs by George Pace with rectangular panes in the lower parts and flame-like patterns in the head of each light. The south aisle is arranged as a chapel with an altar under the east window, and the chancel has been made more spacious by contriving choirstalls in the pews at the cast end of the nave. Two steps lead from the nave into the chancel, flanked by a low stone wall; the pulpit is an integral part of the building, constructed across the north-east angle of the nave and entered from the vestry. The chancel is carpeted and furnished simply but effectively; the reredos is by George Pace and the east window contains the only stained glass in the building. The nave roof has tie-beams with king-posts at each bay and the chancel has a scissor-braced roof boarded in to form a timber vault. The chancel arch is of two orders with the inner terminating at corbels carved as the heads of a king and a bishop.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
The altar is a simple wooden table.
Reredos
The reredes is of oak, consisting of a row of square panels with patterns of gold lines on a red ground in each panel, a standard design by George Pace.
Pulpit
The pulpit is stone, built across the corner of the nave and entered from the vestry.
Lectern
The lectern is of oak, by George Pace, presented in 1952 in memory of Shirley Hill, wife of a former incumbent, who lost her life in the hurricane at Brightside Vicarage, 16th February 1962.
Font (object)
The font is of stone, octagonal, without mouldings.
Organ (object)
The organ is by Conacher, brought in 1970 from the Methodist Chapel in Swinton; fifteen speaking stops, tracker action.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SK 378 901
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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