Thornton Heath, St Jude W St Aidan

Useful information

Details of the Church

The main building in its existing form comprises a nave of four bays with stone pillars and arches; the end bay comprising the now-empty organ loft above the baptistry. There are six small lancet windows at high level coinciding with the pillars.

The nave roof continues, without a chancel arch, to form the chancel and sanctuary, with two stone arches on the north side and one higher stone arch on the south side, the latter incorporating the timber screen of the second organ loft.

The chancel floor rises two steps above the general level of the nave, south and north aisles, with the sanctuary rising by three further steps to the altar plinth. The altar itself has a large screen and reredos of gilded timber with the design of the east window adjusted to suit. There is one lancet window in the south-east corner. There are stone and carved timber low level screens at the chancel integral with the pulpit and lectern. The choir pews are on raised timber platforms.

The south Aisle is higher than the north aisle and incorporates three windows, one of which includes a stained glass panel. This south aisle becomes the Jubilee Room under the tower.

The north aisle has a mono pitch roof of similar slope to the nave roof but at a lower level, with three windows without stained glass. This north aisle becomes the Memorial Chapel adjacent the chancel; with two stained glass windows in the north wall and stained glass east window. The vestries are grouped around the tower in the south-east corner, as single storey extensions to the main building.

The tower rises in four stages to a belfry with conical roof over.