St Thomas of Canterbury, Longhorsley

Introduction

St Thomas of Canterbury in Longhorsley, within the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, was built in 1841 and is attributed to John Dobson.

History

A Jesuit mission was funded by the Widdringtons in the eighteenth century. The church is listed partly for historical associations with Horsley Tower.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is designed in the Lancet Gothic style. The church is cruciform with lateral sacristies rather than transepts, and has a south-east porch. The west end is of squared stone, the remainder coursed rubble, with a slate roof. The west end has an old door with raised design of intersecting panels under a pointed arch with hollow-chamfered hood.

Above the west door are 3 stepped lancets with linked hoodmoulds and an open-pedimented gable with finial cross. The side walls have stepped buttresses and lancets, and the porch has a 10-panel door under a pointed arch. The sacristies each have a door with shouldered head and paired lancets to the west. The east end has a triplet of lancets. The church is a Grade II listed building, first listed on 30-Jan-1986.