Listed building or place reference: HE0489 Historic site reference Property St. Thomas Church Road name Val Plaisant Parish St. Helier LocationView on map Grade Listed Building Grade 2 Category Church and Chapel. Statement of significance The principal Catholic church in Jersey, and one of the finest in the diocese. Built of Brittany granite in the French Gothic style of the thirteenth century, by a French architect for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The church is a major St Helier landmark and the lofty interior is vaulted throughout, retaining glass and other furnishings of considerable interest. Context n/a External Description Large church in French thirteenth century Gothic style. Built of pink Brittany granite, with blue granite for the dressings and carved elements, clay tile roofs. Western tower and spire, flanking chapels, nave, aisles, transepts, sanctuary with flanking chapels. Exterior: Tall, narrow eastern tower and spire, central entrance with carved tympanum of Christ appearing to St Thomas, signed by the sculptor, Louis Dupont. Inscription in the lintel: DOMINUS MEUS ET DEUS MEUS (My Lord and my God). This is surmounted by a triple lancet window with a tracery rose, tall lancets to belfry (5 bells, 2 cast by Cornille-Havard of Villedieu and 3 by Paccard of Annecy), corbelled eaves and spire with horizontal stone banding, lucarnes and finials. Chapels flanking east tower, with canted corners and stepped buttresses. Projecting entrances to western and eastern bays in each aisle; intervening five bays each have paired lancets windows, bay divisions marked by buttresses with powerfully projecting gargoyles (non-functional) at eaves level. Above this, the tall clerestory has paired trefoil lights with oculi in five bays. Projecting two bay transepts with east and west clerestory windows of similar detail to nave, octofoil rose windows to north and south elevations set within embracing blind arch. Two bay chancel with tall clerestory lights, of similar detail to nave and transepts. Side chapels and sacristies in the angles of the chancel and transepts. Design of west wall of chancel similar to that of transept end. Internal Description Interior: The nave consists of seven bays, the easternmost and westernmost narrower than the intervening five. Clustered columns of Crozannes stone attached to the nave arcades, each with a differently carved naturalistic capital, carved by a M. Bedane. Main shafts rise up to transverse arches and quadripartite ribbed vaults with moulded ribs and carved bosses; the interstices plastered brick. Large quadripartite vault over the crossing. The aisles, transepts, and chancel are all similarly vaulted. West wall of chancel dominated by blind triple arched opening surmounted by rose window. At the east end of the nave, an organ gallery supported on triple arcade with columns and carved capitals, the centre arch larger. Furnishings: The church was subjected to radical reordering after Vatican II, at which time the white marble Gothic high altar, altars to the side chapels, oak confessionals, Stations of the Cross and other furnishings were removed. Nevertheless, a number of original furnishings survive, and others have been more recently introduced from elsewhere (along with new features). The recent redecoration of the church has reintroduced much of the polychromy lost at the time of the post-Vatican II reordering, albeit in muted pastel form. The altar is placed on a raised dais of polished white marble steps, black granite risers and encaustic tile platform under the crossing. The altar is a simple design dating from the post-Vatican II reordering. Ornamental iron railings at the back of the dais, salvaged from the original communion rails. The tabernacle against the east wall is on the site of the original high altar, removed in the post-Vatican II reordering. It has been introduced as part of the 2006-7 renovation, and comes from the previous church of St Mary and St Peter (J.A. Hansom). The font is located at the east end of the nave and also comes from the former St Mary and St Peter's church. It has a new (2006-7) floor setting with polished marbles in a star-shaped pattern. Original but relocated clergy seating on the north and south walls of the chancel on either side of the tabernacle, with five gabled backs with inset open trefoils and topped by finials; the seats hinged, with misericords. The chancel and side chapels were originally paved with ceramic tiles from Anneuil, and the transepts, nave and aisles with tiles from a Maubeuge factory. Large areas were damaged or removed in the post-Vatican II reordering. The walls of the chancel were originally adorned with frescoes, and there was an elaborate and theatrical tableau of carved figures in the recessed central arch on the east wall. These were all lost when all the internal walls were replastered and many of the fittings ejected in the post-Vatican II reordering. The recent renovation has involved the introduction of grisaille wall paintings on the east wall, including figures of Our Lady and St John in the outer arches, by Louisa Humphrey. In the centre arch is a crucifixion, the nineteenth century Corpus mounted on a new cross of multicoloured pieces of glass, made by students at the local College of Further Education. White marble monument to Fr Michaux in south aisle, with two sculptured angels. New painted statues of archangels (Gabriel, Raphael, Michael and Uriel), placed on original carved corbels and below canopies at high level on either side of the crossing. Large Portuguese tiled depiction of Fatima apparitions in the chapel north of the chancel (2006-07). A large collection of nineteenth century French stained glass including: - Aisles: Saints by George Claudius Lavergne of Paris - Clerestory: by Bastard of Paris - Transepts: 8 lights by Champigneulle of Paris - Chancel: 2-light windows by the firm of Emmanuel Champigneulle of Bar-le-Duc, from designs by Marechal - Chapels by Champigneulle of Bar-le-Duc Special interest Architectural,Artistic,Historical For the best experience, you will need to use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge web browser to view the map Back to detail page Back to search results Documents Terms and conditions for downloading documents The plans, drawings and material provided have been submitted to the Chief Officer for permissions in respect of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002. They are protected by copyright under the Intellectual Property (Unregistered Rights) (Jersey) Law 2011 (Article 70 of the 2011 Law). The material is being provided to make available for public inspection the Register of Planning and Building Applications and must not be used for other purposes without the prior permission of the copyright owner.The Minister for the Environment makes every effort to maintain the accuracy of the information on this website but cannot accept responsibility for and disclaims all responsibility for any loss or damage which may arise from the use of the information provided. For applications approved during or after July 2016 approved documents are available from within the ‘Approved Documents’ section. For applications approved from 15 May 2012 - July 2016 approved documents are available under the ‘Plans’ section. I understand and agree with the terms and conditions. Date Description Size 04/01/2019 Schedule Schedule Listed Building Grade 2 172.70 KB Back to search results
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