Ardwick: St Thomas
Overview
Grid reference: SJ 851 973
The church was originally a five-bay rectangular brick box built to designs by a unknown architect in 1740. Nothing of this appears to survive now, for the building now seems basically to date from the "amplification" carried out in 1777. A change in the brickwork, though not in the style, marks the two bays added in 1832 at the east end, and the additions at the west end seem to be the Romanesque campanile with flanking porches which were designed by William Hayley, who designed four Lancashire churches for the Commissioners under the Second Parliamentary Grant between 1838 and 1846.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
A rectangle of seven bays in length with west tower flanked by porches housing stairs to galleries.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was originally a five-bay rectangular brick box built to designs by a unknown architect in 1740. Nothing of this appears to survive now, for the building now seems basically to date from the "amplification" carried out in 1777. A change in the brickwork, though not in the style, marks the two bays added in 1832 at the east end, and the additions at the west end seem to be the Romanesque campanile with flanking porches which were designed by William Hayley, who designed four Lancashire churches for the Commissioners under the Second Parliamentary Grant between 1838 and 1846. One of these was neo-Norman, the other three were Gothic. His church of St. Paul, Withington, of 1841, is also neo-Norman in detail.
The church was refloored and repewed and 1865, when the west gallery was also rebuilt. In 1882 repairs to the roof included the raising of the ceiling by fifteen inches and reslating of most of the roof ; at this time also the window frames were renewed, the total cost of the works being £1,800. Heating was installed in 1887 and electric lighting in 1913.
Exterior Description
The north and south walls of the church are very plain, simply faced with brick courses laid in Flemish bond, and pierced by two tiers of round headed windows with stone blocks for imposts and stone sills. The patterning formed by the headers of the brick courses is more prominent in the western five bays than in the later two bays added at the east end. These latter, however, terminate at the corner with stone quoins very like those at the west end and the moulded stone cornice which caps the walls was also continued eastward according to the old design. The east wall is blind but the west wall is of more interest because of the addition of a tower and porches in 1836.
These are placed between the earlier doors which give access to the aisles under each gallery (both are now smaller than they were originally but the proper size is still marked by the architrave supported on console brackets above). The porches project about five feet from the nave wall and both the quoins and moulded cornice of the body of the church were copied again here. The difference comes in the fenestration which, while retaining round-headed lights, is now definitely derived from Romanesque, with tall narrow lights placed close together in rows. The square tower is even more pronounced in its use of Romanesque details. It is of five stages marked by projecting courses of bricks. In the lowest is the main doorway to the church, round-headed and with small corbels remaining above where the stone inscription tablet has disappeared. The next stage has three tall lights similar to those which light the staircase porches. The third stage, which begins to rise above the roof of the main building, has three blind arches in each face containing small rectangular slits and the stage above is blind, housing a clock with to north and south. The uppermost stage houses the single bell. It has three open arches in each direction and a boldly projecting cornice above which is a low-pitched pyramidal roof. Apart from the essentially English iron weathervane in the form of an arrow, the upper part of the tower is strongly reminiscent of Italian seventh-century example such as St Maria in Cosmedin, Rome.
Interior
Interior Description
The rectangular space is galleried on three sides, with Doric cast-iron columns both below and above the gallery fronts. The upper are as usual taller and more slender than the lower. The gallery fronts are panelled and the galleries retain for the most part of their box pows. Downstairs the box pews have been removed, but the present pews are made entirely from their timber, grained and with fielded panels. The plaster ceiling of the church is divided into square panels by moulded ribs and these, together with the plaster roundels down the middle row of squares, date from the renewal of the ceiling in 1882. The sloping undersides of the galleries are also plastered and have a simple design of plaster ribs in each bay. The south aisle forms a War Memorial Chapel to those who died in the First World War and the north aisle has two bays screened off to form a vestry.
The present chancel extends about two and a half bays into the nave and is furnished in late nineteenth-century style with a prominent oak pulpit (now placed closer to the south allery than it was originally) and an oak altar table dating from the turn of the century. The only survivor of the Georgian arrangement is the reredos. This is contained within a shallow segmental-headed arch in the east wall of the church and consists of an entablature supported on two full-width fluted Corinthian pilasters, with a pediment above the middle pair.
The chancel is raised two steps above the nave and is floored with alternating squares of black and white marble, the remainder of the church being floored with black and red quarries in the alleys and timber platforms under the pews. The staircases to the galleries at the west end of the building are of stone.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
c.1900
The altar is of oak, c.1900, in a classical style with three front panels containing oil paintings of cherubs' heads.
Pulpit
The pulpit is of oak, tall on a big circular column, also of oak, and approached by a curving flight of steps. The body is octagonal with colonettes at the corners and blind tracery in each pane.
Lectern
Wooden eagle.
Font (object)
The font is square, on four colonettes and a drum and with Alpha, Omega, the loaves and fishes and three sheep carved in recessed panels round the bowl, dedicated in 1919.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SJ 851 973
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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