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St Thomas, Bowlee belongs to the Church of England and one of three churches within the Parish of Langley. I drive past this church daily on my way to work & think it’s a charming little church & wanted to bring others to see it.
http://www.stthomasbowlee.org.uk/index.htm
In 1875 the Earl of Wilton gave the Parish of All Saints, Rhodes, land enough to build a school and a teacher's house. (The teacher's house has never been built.) We believe that its building was funded by the Schwabbe family, who owned a calico printing factory in Rhodes, whose large chimney was the tallest in Europe until demolished in 1980’s.
In 1875, Architect John Ladds of London, was commissioned and drew up plans for the new school building. He later architected St Michael’s, Tonge in 1882.
In July 1876, planning permission was sought to build the ‘School church’ on the site to “promote the education of the poor in the principles of the Establish Church though…”
In August 1876, the Foundation Stone was 'masonically laid'.
The following March the first services were held in St. Thomas' Mission Church, or ‘The Mission’ as it was fondly known.
Why it changed from being a school to a church is unclear. Bowlee had had a Methodist Church a number of years and St. Thomas' was built within 20 yards of the boundary of St. Margaret's Parish of Prestwich and 400 yards from St. Mary's, Birch. (This remains the case.) Most of Bowlee village was in the Birch Parish, and nearly all the newer houses facing the Church are still in St. Margaret's.
Bowlee was predominantly Methodist and the 'Church' people all went to Birch. Most of the earlier congregation came from Rhodes Green or the poorer part of Rhodes. One lady was told by a Rhodes Churchwarden late last century 'she must go to the Mission' if she could not dress better. Possibly it was for this reason it was built, as were so many Mission Churches in Victorian times. This would account for its (until recently) austere interior.
In 1970, when the Church of England adopted Synodical Government, St Thomas’ became a District Church, responsible to the Parish of All Saints, Rhodes, along with St Mary, Birch in Hopwood, which became a Chapel of Ease.
In 2010, new Pastoral Measures, transferred St Thomas’ and St Mary’s to the new Parish of Langley, where, still remaining a District Church, St Thomas’ is now responsible to All Saints and Martyrs, Langley. All Saints Rhodes has joined with Holy Trinity, Parkfield, in the Parish of Rhodes and Parkfield.
Continue to walk down the lane away from the church & there are good views for miles to be seen.
If you would like to add to the Church Micro series yourself then please look here http://churchmicro.co.uk/ There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page that can be found at http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/index.html