Building record MDR12686 - St Thomas' Church, Somercotes Hill, Somercotes

A Chapel of Ease to Riddings, dedicated to St. Thomas, was formed in Somercotes in 1854. It was formerly used as a Methodist Chapel, but was purchased by subscription for about £400, and after undergoing the necessary alterations and improvements was dedicated as above. It is now [1857] a neat brick and stone edifice, with turret and one bell, and will seat about 600 persons. There is a burial ground attached to the church of about one acre. (1) The church, dedicated to St Thomas, was formed out of a Nonconformist chapel in 1854, and has very little of ecclesiastical appearance about it. The east window has three lights, filled with stained glass. In the centre light the faithless Thomas is represented inserting his finger in to the pierced side of Our Saviour. On the south wall of the nave is a tablet erected by the workmen of Birchwood Colliery to the memory of Mary Hancock, wife of Thomas Hancock, Esq., of Birchwood Lodge. The church will accommodate 400, and all seats are free. It is proposed to rebuild the church on the present site, at an estimated cost of £6,000, as soon as the required funds are forthcoming [1895]. (2) The church of St Thomas was originally erected in 1852, and rebuilt, with the exception of the old chancel, in 1902. It is an edifice of brick and stone, consisting of chancel and nave. The chancel was built and the stained east window inserted at the sole expense of Thomas Haden Oakes Esq. J P of Riddings House. There are 412 sittings. (3) In 1852-4, work was undertaken to convert a Dissenting chapel into a chapel of ease. Robert Barber and Ewan Christian planned the conversion and added the chancel, side chapel and vestry. The remainder is by P H Currey in 1902. It was reconstructed following a fire in 1980, by Montague Associates of Derby. (4)