The Church of St Thomas, Thurstonland, West Yorkshire, England, is an Anglican church. It is an Arts and Crafts building in Gothic Revival style, designed by James Mallinson and William Swinden Barber, and completed in 1870. The building was funded by William Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth, and it was consecrated by Robert Bickersteth, Bishop of Ripon. The total height of the tower and spire is , and the nave contains an arch-braced hammerbeam roof.
The first incumbent of the parish to use this building was Rev. Robert Boyle Thompson, an evangelical missionary who had already done "great work" in the slums of Seven Dials when he was granted the living of Thurstonland at the age of 28 years.
Architects and artisans
The building was designed between 1867 and 1870 by Mallinson & Barber, however it was Barber who closely supervised the building work, so it can be understood that Barber was largely responsible for the plans. The ground plan dated March 1867 and an undated sketch by the architects of William Butterfield's St John the Evangelist, Birkby, are held at West Yorkshire Archive Service.Church Plans Online: William Swinden Barber Retrieved 29 January 2014 Retrieved 1 May 2014 Retrieved 1 May 2014 It is possible that Butterfield's 1853 Birkby church may have partially inspired or informed this design.See image of Butterfield's St John the Evangelist, Birkby :File:St John the Evangelist, Birkby.jpg
The clerk of the works in 1869 was Leonard North of Kirkburton, followed by Thomas Elliott of Bradford in 1870. George Pollard of Huddersfield was the mason, Joah Swallow of Hepworth was joiner, and the plumber was Lockwood of Honley. The slaters were Goodwin & Sons of Huddersfield, the plasterer was Alfred Jessop of Shepley, and the painter was Brighouse of Huddersfield. The heating apparatus was installed by Thornton of Huddersfield.Note: painting in Barber churches could mean stencilling and spirit frescos.
History By 1869 three new churches had already been built in the Kirkburton parish due to the efforts of its vicar Rev. Richard Collins (1794–1882), but there was still just an inadequate chapel-room in Thurstonland. This was originally a dissenters' chapel built in 1810 and used as a chapel of ease for Kirkburton from 1834 to 1870. Around 1850 there was an unsuccessful local attempt to raise funds for a new church; a second attempt in 1867–1868 came to fruition.
The scattered population of this village, which was soon to become a parish in its own right, consisted of about 1,200 persons of "limited means", engaged in agricultural and manufacturing trades, so the congregation could not fund a new church. The Church of England therefore appealed to its richer members, so that Mr J.F. Winterbottom (1800–1868) of Eastwood Hey, Berkshire, bequeathed the one-acre site.Death cert: December 1868, Winterbottom John Frederick, 68 Westminster St Margaret, 1a/299 The building was funded by William Legge, Earl of Dartmouth, C.H. Bill, Colonel Brooke of Honley, J. Hirst JP, Colonel Bradbury and others, including ladies who organised a bazaar.United Kingdom Census 1861: estimated population of Thurstonland 1,116, spread across 2,050 acres Colonel Brooke was treasurer. Local people had raised £100 and, being unable to assist further with funding, had offered voluntary manual labour; they levelled the ground by hand. At the consecration it was mentioned by Rev. Richard Collins that funds were being raised for a new vicarage at Thurstonland.
Foundation stone ceremony The foundation stone was laid at 1.30 pm on Monday 26 July 1869. A large crowd gathered at the site, so that the area reserved for the ceremony had to be roped off. Countess Augusta of Dartmouth and Rev. Richard Collins, vicar of Kirkburton, led the procession, followed by the Earl of Dartmouth and the Rev. R.B. Thompson who was to be the first incumbent of Thurstonland Church. Then came more than 20 clergymen, churchwardens and a dozen or more VIPs who all crowded into the enclosure. Among the VIPs were Lieutenant-Colonel Bradbury JP, William Brooke JP, Captain Legge, Adjutant Legge, Major Brooke, George Wood Jenkinson (1838–1898) the Thurstonland churchwarden, and W.S. Barber the architect.Birth cert: September 1838, Jenkinson George Wood, Huddersfield, 22/342Death cert: June 1898, Jenkinson George Wood, 59, Huddersfield, 9a/233 In the newspaper reports, James Mallinson is not mentioned as being present. The choir, the band, the Sunday School children and the spectators arranged themselves outside the ropes.Huddersfield Chronicle 31 July 1869: New church for ThurstonlandLeeds Mercury 27 July 1869: Laying the foundation stone of a new church at Thurstonland
The audience sang a hymn, This stone to Thee in faith we lay, while an inscribed silver trowel was presented to the Earl of Dartmouth. The earl spread the mortar for the cornerstone. This cornerstone contained a cavity, and inside was a bottle containing "various documents related to the laying of the stone." The hole was sealed with an inscribed brass plate, which said:Glory be to God, the Son and the Holy Ghost, the foundation of this church in Thurstonland in the parish of Kirkburton, to be dedicated to His service by the name of St Thomas, was laid by Wm. Walter, Earl of Dartmouth, on the 26th July, 1869. Richard Collins, vicar of Kirkburton; Robert Boyle Thompson, curate of Thurstonland; George W. Jenkinson, churchwarden of Thurston-land, James Mallinson and Wm Swindon Barber, architects.
The stone was lowered into place, struck by the Countess with a mallet, and declared laid. Thompson ended the service and the choir sang God Save the Queen. The ceremony was not over, however, until the Earl had been formally thanked by Collins and had replied with a long speech which mentioned donations, touched on evangelism and dwelt on his newborn grandson. There was benediction from Collins, the procession left and the audience dispersed.Note: the Leeds Messenger 27 July 1869 article states that the foundation stone was laid in a cavity, and under the stone was deposited a bottle containing newspapers etc.
Three hundred persons then enjoyed luncheon served in a marquee in the next-door field, alongside the road. There were many speeches, including a long one from the Earl: this time discussing church and laity, flattering the clergy and mentioning the Irish Church Bill. A number of toasts were given, drunk and responded to at length. A toast was made to the architects and Barber responded, concluding the speeches with a toast to the ladies.
Consecration
The church and graveyard were consecrated at 11 am on 3 October 1870 by Robert Bickersteth, Bishop of Ripon, although part of the graveyard had already been consecrated by 1862, and the spire was not completed.Huddersfield Chronicle, 8 October 1870: Consecration of St Thomas' Church, Thurstonland The pews were filled to overflowing when the bishop processed into the church, followed by over thirty local clergymen, all repeating Psalm 24. The bishop read the sentence of consecration, followed by morning prayers. The choir sang, and the almost-completed organ was played for the first time by Samuel Pontefract (1815–1896) of South Crosland.Death cert: September 1896, Pontefract Samuel, 81, Fylde, 8e/408 The bishop's sermon was based on Psalm 122, verse 1. He alluded to the recent building work, the need for support from the laity in spirit and funding, and the pressing need for the final £400 required to pay off building costs. The collection amounted to £313 7s 1d. The bishop then processed outside with the clergy, to consecrate the burial ground.
The marquee had appeared again in the neighbouring field, and a luncheon was enjoyed this time by only 100 persons, including the Bishop of Ripon, Rev. Collins of Kirkburton, Archdeacon Musgrave, the Earl and Countess of Dartmouth and other VIPs. The bishop and archdeacon ate and left, then a long series of toasts and speeches began. As chairman of the proceedings, the Vicar of Kirkburton stated that W.S. Barber the architect was unable to attend due to illness, but that he "had worked very hard in connection with the church; he had paid them a great many visits, and his superintendence had been untiring." In his speech, Rev. Thompson referred obliquely to the free seating in the new church, saying that rich and poor could worship together, and exhorting his privileged audience to take full part in public services regularly. The evening service raised £50, making the total collection for the day £363 7s 1d towards paying off the final £400 owing for building costs.
Resources There are historical leaflets available at the church. The parish records for St Thomas', along with church magazines from Thurstonland, are held at West Yorkshire Archive Services. Retrieved 1 May 2014West Yorkshire Archive Services: WYAS1194 – Kirklees local studies collection of parish and nonconformist church magazines (WYW1467), WYW1467 Retrieved 1 May 2014
Structure It is a Grade II listed building situated in Marsh Hall Lane, Thurstonland, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. It is set in a Conservation Area.
Original design
As originally designed in the "geometric decorated style of architecture" to accommodate 385 adults and children, the nave was by , and high to the roof-ridge. The tower was square with a height of . The stone spire was originally designed to be but was ultimately raised to . The organ chamber measured and the vestry was . The ground floor of the tower doubled as the church porch, and its first floor held a children's gallery – directly beneath the single bronze bell. The nave roof was open-timbered, but the chancel roof was arched and boarded. The pews and choir stalls, designed by Mallinson and Barber, were of stained deal. These were to be for free use, with no rented box pews. Made to the architect's original design and commission, the oak pulpit stood on a stone base and the carved stone font was placed by the south west door.Yorkshire Indexers: Thurstonland St Thomas Church Retrieved 15 May 2014
Exterior When the foundation stone was laid in 1869, this Gothic Revival Anglican church was said to have been designed "in the geometric decorated style." It is built of hammer-dressed stone with ashlar dressing. The stone gutter of the slate roof is on moulded brackets. The tower is at the east end of the nave, and it has a stair turret to the second floor on its west side and a splay-footed stone spire with four lucarnes. Over the south door is a canopied niche with a "moulded arched head and figure" beneath.
Interior
Tower
The tower has four floors, of which the ground floor doubles as the church's porch.See image of door to nave at :File:St Thomas Thurstonland interior 081.jpg The first floor is the children's gallery; this has a stepped floor to accommodate the pews, leaving a large, wedge-shaped cavity between the ground floor ceiling and the surface for the seating. The children's gallery is well-lit by large windows, and is open to the nave, forming a balcony overlooking the pulpit. The opening to the nave was closed off around 1984 with a screen and door. The gallery is accessed separately from the nave via the tower's staircase, allowing the Sunday School children to be brought into the gallery and taken away to lessons without disturbing the service. This gallery is long disused and the steps beside the pews have become rotten and unsafe.See image of children's gallery: :File:St Thomas Thurstonland interior 003.jpg The second floor is the clock chamber, containing an 1889 turret clock mechanism by Potts of Leeds, who as of 2014 continue to maintain it. The clock chamber has no windows and is completely dark.See image of clock at: :File:St Thomas Thurstonland interior 084m.JPG The bell chamber is on the third floor and contains the single bronze bell and clapper for the clock.See image of bell at :File:St Thomas Thurstonland interior 012.jpg