St. Thomas More, Bradford-on-Avon

Introduction

The church was built in 1854-5 by Thomas Fuller of Bath. The properties of the church and the Midland Bank in Church Street were originally built to house the Town Hall and Council Offices.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is ashlar, occupying a corner site, with a main entrance set diagonally across the corner, dominated by a tall octagonal tower with an onion dome supporting a ball and weathervane. The tower has triple sound-holes to each face, an octagonal top with weatherings, and turns square with parapets, large corner finials and Jacobean-shaped gablets. The main entrance has a large flattened 4-centred arch with multiple mouldings, a hood-mould with heraldic label-stops, a triangular fanlight and double wooden doors up 4 steps.

A circular device with shield and date 1854 is over the doorway. The tower has a moulded cornice below the dome with finely carved grotesques at the angles. A large sloping offset occurs above ground-floor level and continues across on to 2 low flanking extensions.