Explored this place over 2 visit's, the first was the same day @MotionlessMike posted his report coincidently but we weren't happy with some of our shots so went back the other day to retake a few. In-between the 2 visits it seems the vandals and kids have started to descend and the place has started to go downhill fairly rapidly sadly. The stained glass is starting to get more smashed up and the interior of the church getting more heavily vandalised. Strangely I found out after our first visit that this was my mothers local church when when she was a child, she attended the Sunday school here, and my aunty had her wedding here in the 70's.
History - The current St Thomas's Church is the second church to be built on this site. The Foundation Stone of the first St Thomas Church was laid by the Right Honourable Lord Lilford on November 21st 1839. It was consecrated on October 12th 1840. Mills and Butterworth of Manchester were the architects and Haddock of Warrington was the builder. This Church lasted for about sixty years. A school was housed in the crypt in the 1860s. The present Church, built in the Late Decorated or Early Perpendicular Gothic style, was built in stages as money was raised. The architect was Mr R Bassnett Preston of Manchester and the builders were J Gerrard and Sons, Swinton. The material used was Accrington red brick. Runcorn red sandstone was used for the doorways, windows, arches, piers and the roof was made of pitch pine, covered with Coniston green slates.
The Dedication of the completed building by the Lord Bishop of Manchester, Dr. Knox, took place on October 12th, 1910, the 70th Anniversary of the Consecration of the old Church. The church was closed in 2013 due to it requiring significant repairs that would cost around 1.5 million.
Explore - This is a stunning building and the clock/bell tower is especially impressive. The stained glass is also epic. The area is quite rough and there is a lot of evidence of drug use, the ground around the church is littered with needles and such. Access is currently quite easy. All in all it's well worth the visit but due to the increasing amounts of vandalism it probably wont stay in this state for long.
Photo from between 1902-1910 of the present church being built in stages alongside the original church.
Thanks for looking.
History - The current St Thomas's Church is the second church to be built on this site. The Foundation Stone of the first St Thomas Church was laid by the Right Honourable Lord Lilford on November 21st 1839. It was consecrated on October 12th 1840. Mills and Butterworth of Manchester were the architects and Haddock of Warrington was the builder. This Church lasted for about sixty years. A school was housed in the crypt in the 1860s. The present Church, built in the Late Decorated or Early Perpendicular Gothic style, was built in stages as money was raised. The architect was Mr R Bassnett Preston of Manchester and the builders were J Gerrard and Sons, Swinton. The material used was Accrington red brick. Runcorn red sandstone was used for the doorways, windows, arches, piers and the roof was made of pitch pine, covered with Coniston green slates.
The Dedication of the completed building by the Lord Bishop of Manchester, Dr. Knox, took place on October 12th, 1910, the 70th Anniversary of the Consecration of the old Church. The church was closed in 2013 due to it requiring significant repairs that would cost around 1.5 million.
Explore - This is a stunning building and the clock/bell tower is especially impressive. The stained glass is also epic. The area is quite rough and there is a lot of evidence of drug use, the ground around the church is littered with needles and such. Access is currently quite easy. All in all it's well worth the visit but due to the increasing amounts of vandalism it probably wont stay in this state for long.
Photo from between 1902-1910 of the present church being built in stages alongside the original church.
Thanks for looking.
