Church Of St Thomas

ASHTON IN MAKERFIELD WARRINGTON ROAD SJ 59 NE (east side) 11/8 Church of 7.12.66 St. Thomas II Church, 1891-3. By Oldham of Manchester. Stone with concrete tile roof. Nave with aisles under lean-to roofs, west tower, chancel with north organ loft and south and east vestries. Tower has north and south entrances with weathering and weathered buttresses above. West 4-light window with perpendicular tracery. North-west square stair turret. Louvred bell openings, paired to east and west over 3-face clock, cornice and embattled parapet with gargoyle to east. Nave of 3 bays has paired 3-light elliptical-headed aisle windows between flat buttresses to south, to north are 1:2:2-light windows. Clerestory has straight-headed traceried windows mostly of 3 lights. South vestry of 2 gabled bays has 3 weathered buttresses and 4-light windows small gabled porch. Chancel has 7-light east window with low blind panels, one inscribed "Re-BUILT/1892-3", with a keystone below dated 1714 from former church. 3-light north window and lateral stack. East vestry is C20 with 3-light straight-headed window. Organ loft is gabled, angled to follow street; 3 straight-headed traceried lights and wheel window; projection to west has parapet and entrance. Interior: Nave has arcades with octagonal piers and no capitals; the springers have shields. Arch-braced king and queen post roof. Chancel arch is corbelled and has Tudor flower ornament. Wood pulpit and stalls and panelling to sanctuary; traceried reredos. North piscina with traceried straight head. Font is octagonal on shafts and tracery panels, relief crosses to alternate faces.

Listing NGR: SJ5770798959