St Thomas' Church, South Wigston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Thomas’ Church, South Wigston |
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St Thomas the Apostle, South Wigston
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| Location | South Wigston |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | wigstonbenefice.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | Thomas the Apostle |
| Consecrated | 2 February 1893 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Architect(s) | Stockdale Harrison |
| Groundbreaking | 26 July 1892 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 128 feet (39 m) |
| Width | 44 feet (13 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | South Wigston |
| Deanery | Gartree (2nd deanery) |
| Archdeaconry | Leicester |
| Diocese | Diocese of Leicester |
St Thomas’ Church in South Wigston, Leicestershire, is a beautiful old building. It is a parish church that belongs to the Church of England. This church is also very special because it is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Building History
The journey to build St Thomas’ Church began a long time ago. The very first stone, called the foundation stone, was put in place on 26 July 1892. A person named Thomas Ingram laid this important stone.
The church was officially ready and blessed on 2 February 1893. This special ceremony was led by Mandell Creighton, who was the Bishop of Peterborough at that time.
Design and Construction
The church was built using strong bricks and had a roof made of Westmorland slate. A builder named Henry Bland constructed the church. The design for the church came from a talented architect named Stockdale Harrison.
Building the church cost about £3,600 back then. This would be a lot of money today! The church is quite large, measuring about 39 meters (128 feet) long and 13 meters (44 feet) wide.
A tall tower was added to the church a few years later, in 1901.
Church Community
St Thomas’ Church is part of a group of churches that work together. This group is called a joint benefice. The other churches in this group are:
- All Saints' Church, Wigston Magna
- St Wistan's Church, Wigston Magna
The Organ
Inside the church, there is a wonderful pipe organ. This organ was built in 1895 by Stephen Taylor, a craftsman from Leicester. Thomas Ingram, who helped start the church, also paid for the organ. It cost £500 at the time.
The organ was officially dedicated on 26 September 1875 by John Mitchinson, who was a bishop. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
The Bells
St Thomas’ Church has a set of eight bells. These bells were made in 1901 by a famous company called John Taylor & Co.
These bells were part of a very exciting event! On 26 December 1904, seven bell ringers from the church set a new world record. They rang a special sequence of bells called a "peal of 17,184 double Norwich Court Bob." This amazing feat broke the previous record set in 1898. One of the ringers had to stop after 10 hours and 35 minutes, but they still achieved their record!
