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Diameter: 44.75" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Naylor, Vickers & Co
Dove Bell ID: 51832 Tower ID: 18864 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Pimhole: St Thomas
Diocese of Manchester
Church, 624207
http://www.saintthomaschurchbury.org.uk/Overview
Grid reference: SD 814 106
The church is broadly designed in the Early English style, with triple lancets to the aisles between low buttresses and two double lancets to each clearstorey bay. The nave is slightly higher than the chancel. The north-west tower of three stages with waisted spire is the dominant feature, situated to maximum effect on the street corner. It was built in 1866, designed by Laurence Booth of Blackwell Son & Booth of Bury and Manchester, the benefactor was Thomas Openshaw, a local mill owner and philanthropist.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
6-bay aisled nave, south porch, north-west tower, 2-bay chancel with north vestry and south chapel.
Dimensions:
Nave c 25m (85 ft) x 9m (30ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 700 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Built 1866, designed by Laurence Booth of Blackwell Son & Booth of Bury and Manchester, the benefactor was Thomas Openshaw, a local mill owner and philanthropist. The church cost £8,000, a substantial sum.
The west end has been recently reordered to provide rooms behind a glazed screen in the two western bays, with toilets, a kitchen and a meeting room.
Exterior Description
The church is broadly designed in the Early English style, with triple lancets to the aisles between low buttresses and two double lancets to each clearstorey bay. The nave is slightly higher than the chancel. The north-west tower of three stages with waisted spire is the dominant feature, situated to maximum effect on the street corner. It has angle buttresses with weatherings to each stage, and a pointed moulded entrance in the north face within a gable. There are plain slit openings to the lower stage, clock faces to the middle and two single pointed entrances to the belfry.
The west façade has an arcade across the base of alternate blind and open lancets, and a 4-light plate tracery window in the gable. The large south porch is a major feature, gabled with a row of quatrefoils under the eaves and a moulded entrance of two orders taken down to colonettes. The chancel has clasping buttresses flanking a 5-light east window with plate tracery. The north-east vestry has a lean-to roof to the chancel eaves, with 2-light plate tracery window above the boiler house with sloping west-east roof, and a plain stack at the external corner.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
Late 19th Century
East window, the Ascension, very good, different artist to the rest and earlier – late 19th. Inscriptions faded. Perhaps by Powell Bros of Leeds, or less likely by Hardman.
Stained Glass
South chapel east window, Doubting Thomas, given as a World War I memorial
Stained Glass
West end of aisle, the Annunciation, in memory of Joseph Clegg died 1930
Stained Glass
Saint with palm. In memory of Joseph Melling
Stained Glass
1923
Virgin and Child in memory of Louise Wood
Stained Glass
20th Century
North aisle, St Paul, Good Shepherd, St John, in memory of Revd John Williams, after 1930
Building Materials
Sandstone
Coursed sandstone rubble
Ashlar
Dressings
Interior
Interior Description
The nave interior is bare stone, the chancel whitewashed, panelled waggon roofs to the nave and chancel, the latter painted red and quite elaborate. Stone banding throughout, with much carved detail. Quarry tile floors to the nave. The nave roof is carried by slender round columns with moulded capitals and double-chamfered pointed arches embellished with dogtooth carving and continuous hoodmould with foliate stops. The window rere-arches are embellished with colonettes, that to the east window of three orders. Woodblock floors covered mostly in red carpet, geometrical tiles in the sanctuary, encaustic tiles around the font. The nave and aisles are fully pewed with plain benches with curved end panels.
The chancel has a plain pointed chancel arch of stone carried round as a clearstorey strip, the arch taken down to colonettes on heavy corbels carved with angels. There is a low moulded stone chancel screen. Fine choir stalls with shaped sides and tracery, with lamps. A large stone reredos at the east end behind the high altar. The chancel floor is laid with Minton encaustic tiles, though mostly under red carpet. Two-bay arcades articulated as the nave to the south chapel and north vestry, which are closed off by a tracery wooden screen with curtains and glazed infilling.
The south chapel is full of blue upholstered chairs and used for most services. It has communion rails with carved rail panel, a blue and yellow carpet under a modern altar table, and a tiled dado.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
1870
Oak table with tracery in chancel and modern table in south chapel
Reredos
1870
Stone reredos with central gablet with cross finial and arcade of seven inset pointed panels with glazed tiles. Mosaic medallion with Agnus Dei in central gable and motto behold the lamb of god that taketh away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Mosaic inset panels with text scrolls within lattice decoration.
Pulpit
1870
Structurally integral hexagonal stone pulpit with cusped blind tracery panels with granite colonettes.
Lectern
1870
Open tracery wooden lectern, matching the choir stalls.
Font (object)
Circular Early English white stone font, intricately carved with angels to the bowl, marble stem, hexagonal base with tesserae. Later wooden cover.
Organ (object)
1888
Organ of 1888 donated by Thomas Openshaw
Rail
1870
Oak with traceried standards and heavy moulded rail.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 814 106
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 | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
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
Quinquennial Inspections
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