The Wonky Church
The chancel (not open to the public at the moment) is visible through the tower arches. Above the nearest arch are the royal arms of George II. The outer G,R, and 2 were changed to read E,R, and 2 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Stairs up to the bellringing platform are on the left.
Look closely at St Thomas’ church in Simpson, Milton Keynes, and you might wonder why the tower seems a little slender compared to the rest of the church. It’s because it’s all that’s left of an earlier, smaller church.
St Thomas is a cruciform church. It’s built with a central tower between the West nave and East chancel, (their usual orientation) and with transepts to North and South. A birds eye view would show the church to be shaped like a Christian cross; the nave forming the long arm and the tower where the arms all join.
But it’s a slightly wonky cross; the transepts do not match and the South one has a West wall which isn’t quite at right angles to everything else. The porch, built around 200 years after most of the church, has an East wall that is also way off being square.
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