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Cathedral Church Of St Thomas

Old Portsmouth

Hampshire

Plain tile roofs

Architectural Features

North cloister court in C16/C17 style

INTERIOR: C12 work survives particularly well as choir which has unusual feature of painted-arched arcades set within larger round arches, having octagonal piers and clustered responds with engaged shafts (some of replacement marble)

Nave has tall, late C17, round-arched arcades and richly decorated modillion cornice

MONUMENTS: notable monuments include the fine series of C17, C18, and early C19 wall memorials which have coats of arms, cherubs, urns, and skulls

having tablet in classical architrave with trophies of war below and armoured male figure kneeling at altar above: ii) in choir south aisle, to George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, assassinated in Portsmouth 1628, possibly by Nicholas Stone and having tablet flanked by trumpeter and figure holding laurel wreath, eagle on urn in classical architrave with side-panels depicting trophies of war, and coat of arms and trumpeting cherubs above all

FITTINGS: amongst the woodwork of particular note is the 1693 hexagonal, highly-decorated, panelled pulpit on slender column having turned balusters to stairs up, and 2 fluted columns with Composite capitals supporting sounding board which is a 1904 replica of the original and has egg-and-dart cornice, collared soffit carved with flowers and ogee cap supporting trumpeting angel

late C17 reused panelling in nave piers, and corporation pew with royal coat of arms of 1695 over mayor's seat

restored organ case, the original of 1718 by Abraham Jordan Junior, which has a central figure of David and cherubs, possibly by Francis Bird

Paintwork includes a mid-C13 wall painting of Christ seated in judgment, set in vessica in north transept

octagonal early C16 font having octagonal column and shields carved on sides

C19 and C20 glass. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Lloyd DW: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: Harmondsworth: 1967-: 393-407

Photo coming soon