St Thomas Church, Winchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Thomas Church, Winchester |
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| St Thomas & St Clement Church, Winchester | |
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| OS grid reference | SU 47851 29318 |
| Country | England |
| Previous denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 16 April 1847 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | E. W. Elmslie |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1845–46, steeple 1857 |
| Construction cost | £8,152 (steeple £1,800) |
| Closed | 1969 |
St Thomas Church in Winchester, England, is a historic building that was once a Church of England parish church. It was also known as St Thomas & St Clement Church. Today, it is no longer used as a church but has found new purposes over the years.
Contents
History of St Thomas Church
From Old to New
Before the current building, there was an even older St Thomas Church. This earlier church was located on St Thomas Street. It had replaced a much older church dedicated to St Petroc, which had fallen apart in the 1300s after the terrible Black Death plague.
The old St Thomas Church was taken down in 1845. A new, bigger church was then built to replace it. This new church, the one we are talking about, is located about 100 meters away on Southgate Street.
Design and Opening
The famous expert Nikolaus Pevsner described the new St Thomas Church. He said it was the most impressive Victorian church in Winchester. He also noted that its Gothic Revival style was very well done for its time. This means it looked a lot like real medieval Gothic churches.
The new church brought together the church areas (parishes) of St Thomas and St Clement. It was built to serve about 2,500 people. The church was officially opened and blessed on April 16, 1847. The Bishop of Winchester performed the ceremony.
What Happened to the Church Building?
Changing Uses Over Time
St Thomas Church stopped being used for church services in 1969. For a while, it became home to the Hampshire Record Office. This office keeps important historical documents for the county.
The building is considered very important historically. It is a "Grade II listed building," which means it has special architectural or historical value. Even when it was the Record Office, it kept this special listing.
New Life for the Building
Later, the Record Office moved to a new building. St Thomas Church, then called the St Thomas Centre, was used by different charities as their offices until around 2010.
Today, the building is being changed again. It is being turned into homes, with nine flats and properties being created inside the historic structure.
The Church Organ
A Musical Journey
The first organ in St Thomas Church was made by a company called Bishop and Son. Later, another company, J.W. Walker and Sons, added more parts to it.
In 1957, this organ was replaced. A much older pipe organ, built in 1756 by a person known as Father Smith, was brought in. This old organ had originally been in St Maurice's Church, Winchester.
When St Thomas Church closed its doors, the Father Smith organ moved again. It found a new home at St Deny's Church in Portswood, Southampton. You can find detailed information about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
