The non-homogeneous flow of a thixotropic fluid around a settling sphere is explored. A four-parameter Moore model is used for a generic thixotropic fluid and discontinuous Galerkin method is employed to solve the structure-kinetics equation coupled with the conservation equations of mass and momentum. Depending on Weissenberg number (Wi), flow solutions are divided into three different regimes, which are attributed to an interplay of three competing factors: Brownian structure recovery, shear-induced structure breakdown, and structure refilling effect due to convection. At small Wi ( 1), where the Brownian structure recovery is predominant, thixotropic effect is negligible and flow solutions are not too dissimilar to that of Newtonian fluid. As Wi increases, a remarkable structural gradient is observed and the structure profile around the settling sphere is determined by the balance of all three competing factors. For large enough Wi ( 1), where the Brownian structure recovery becomes negligible, the balance between shear-induced structure breakdown and refilling effect by convection plays a decisive role in determining flow profile. To quantify the interplay of three factors, the drag coefficient Cs of the sphere is investigated for ranges of Wi. With this framework, the effect of destruction parameter, confinement ratio, and possible nonlinearity in the model-form on the non-homogeneous flow of a thixotropy fluid have been discussed. arXiv:1908.04993v1 [physics.flu-dyn]