Church of St Thomas, Chapel Street, Leigh

A large church of red Accrington brick and red sandstone dressings. The commission was given to J S Crowther but passed to Richard Bassnett Preston after Crowther died in 1893 and the church built in two phases. The builders were Gerrard and Sons of Swinton. The foundation stone of the new church was laid on 31 May 1902, the last day of the Boer War. There was such a generous response to the appeal then made, that the committee decided to build two bays of the nave in addition to the chancel. This portion of the new church was opened on 31 October 1903 and abutted the earlier remaining west end and tower until 1909, in which year the present west end and tower were added, being completed in 1910. The church is notable for later fittings designed by Sir Charles Archibald Nicholson and stained glass by J Powell and Archibald Keightley Nicholson.

NEW CHURCH LEIGH, LANCS.-The foundation stone of the St. Thomas's Church, Leigh was laid on the 31st ult. The building, which is to be in the Early Perpendicular style, will cost £12,000. It will have a chancel of three bays and a tower 20 feet square, the height of which from the ground to the top of the parapet will be 75 feet, or 100 feet to the top of the cross surmounting the small spire. The church has been designed by Mr. R. B. Preston architect, of Manchester. [Builder 7 June 1902 page 570]

The Bishop of Manchester dedicated on Wednesday night, the new St. Thomas's Church at the east, or Bedford, end of Leigh. The plan of the church is parallelogram slightly wider at the east than the west. It consists of a nave and aisles of five bays of which the two latter- most are extended north and south so as to form a double transept. The chancel is of three bays, having at the south a chapel and on the north side an organ-chamber, clergy vestry, and a staircase leading to a spacious choir vestry in the basement. Externally and internally the walls are faced with Accrington red brick and all the doorways, windows, arches, piers and stonework are of flecked Runcorn red sandstone. The general style of the church is Early Perpendicular. Mr R B Preston, of Manchester, was the architect. [Manchester Guardian 14 October, 1910; page 10]

Reference        Builder 7 June 1902 page 570
Reference        Manchester Guardian 14 October, 1910; page 10
Reference        Pevsner: Lancashire: South