Church of St Thomas

The Church of St Thomas stands in the quiet village of Thurlbear, Somerset, a small settlement near Orchard Portman. Built in the 12th century, it is one of the oldest surviving churches in the area. English Heritage recognises its importance by listing it as a Grade I building. The church is no longer used for regular worship and is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. It was transferred to the Trust’s care in 1988. The building still shows strong traces of its Norman origins. Nikolaus Pevsner, the noted architectural historian, points to the original Norman arcades and narrow aisles. These features were never enlarged to suit later medieval tastes. Pevsner estimates the church was completed by about 1110, making it a rare example of early Norman design. Inside, visitors find simple but well-preserved stonework from the 12th century. The narrow aisles and solid arcades give a sense of the church’s age. Repairs carried out by the Churches Conservation Trust have stabilised the structure. Somerset County Council supported this work with archaeological surveys. The church stands as a quiet witness to eight centuries of history in the Somerset countryside.