Church Of St Thomas

The Church of St Thomas is a Grade II listed church located on Warrington Road in Ashton in Makerfield. Built between 1891 and 1893 by the architect Oldham of Manchester, it is constructed of stone with a concrete tile roof. The church features a nave with aisles that have lean-to roofs, a west tower, and a chancel that includes a north organ loft and south and east vestries.

The tower has entrances on the north and south sides, with weathering and weathered buttresses above. It includes a west 4-light window with perpendicular tracery, a square stair turret at the north-west corner, louvred bell openings paired to the east and west over a three-faced clock, a cornice, and an embattled parapet with a gargoyle on the east side. The nave consists of three bays with paired 3-light elliptical-headed aisle windows situated between flat buttresses on the south side, while the north side features 1:2:2-light windows. The clerestory has straight-headed traceried windows, mostly with three lights.

The south vestry has two gabled bays, three weathered buttresses, and 4-light windows, along with a small gabled porch. The chancel boasts a 7-light east window with low blind panels, one of which is inscribed "Re-BUILT/1892-3," and a keystone below that is dated 1714 from a former church. It also has a 3-light north window and a lateral stack. The east vestry is a 20th-century addition with a 3-light straight-headed window. The organ loft is gabled and angled to follow the street, featuring three straight-headed traceried lights and a wheel window, with a projection to the west that includes a parapet and entrance.

Inside, the nave has arcades supported by octagonal piers without capitals, and the springers are adorned with shields. The roof is an arch-braced king and queen post design. The chancel arch is corbelled and decorated with Tudor flower ornamentation. The interior includes a wooden pulpit and stalls, panelling in the sanctuary, and a traceried reredos. There is a north piscina with a traceried straight head, and the font is octagonal, resting on shafts with tracery panels and relief crosses on alternate faces.