The complete collection

58 ways
to look closer.

Stone, slate, glass, timber and light — photographed from the air, from the roof, from the churchyard and from the aisle.

The collection is ordered as a walk. It starts high above the spire, comes down through the streets and the stonework, goes in at the door, and finishes at the cross. Open any photograph and simply keep pressing next.

Showing all 58 photographs.

Aerial golden-hour view of St Thomas Church, its tall spire, spring blossom and Roch Valley surroundings — St Thomas at golden hourFrom the air

Evening light on St Thomas from the air, the spire above the treetops with the Roch Valley beyond — Evening over the Roch ValleyFrom the air

The spire of St Thomas rising from a canopy of summer trees beneath a wide, clouded sky — Above the tree lineFrom the air

St Thomas seen from the air amid terraced streets, with the Lancashire moors on the horizon — The tallest thing for streets aroundFrom the air

Overhead view of the slate roof, spire and parish buildings of St Thomas beside the road — Roof, spire and parish from overheadFrom the air

A carved stone cross crowning the gable at the end of the slate roof, seen at roof height — The cross on the rooflineFrom the air

The belfry and spire of St Thomas soaring into a blue, cloud-filled sky — Straight up into the weatherExterior

The tower and paired belfry openings of St Thomas seen steeply from below — The tower from belowExterior

The tower of St Thomas from directly beneath, showing the rose window and louvred belfry — Rose window and belfryExterior

A carved stone figure set at the foot of the spire, far above head height — Carved where almost no one looksCraftsmanship

St Thomas from its own churchyard, tower and spire rising above summer trees — From inside the churchyardExterior

Stone exterior of St Thomas Church with blue door and spire — St Thomas in the summer lightExterior

The tower and nave of St Thomas framed by heavy summer foliage — Framed in greenExterior

The full south elevation of St Thomas: nave, clerestory, tower and blue door — The south front, end to endExterior

A traceried Gothic window set high in a gable of coursed stone — A window in the gableExterior

A run of arcaded lancet windows with polished stone shafts along the outer wall — Arcading along the wallCraftsmanship

Clerestory arcading and shafted windows photographed from roof level — Arcading at roof levelCraftsmanship

A winged stone grotesque projecting from the wall to throw rainwater clear of the stonework — The waterspout beastCraftsmanship

Exterior lancet windows in the stone south wall — Early English detailExterior

Historic memorial plaque mounted on the church stonework — A witness in stoneHeritage

A stone path running beside the arcaded south wall between shrubs and lawn — The path along the south wallExterior

The buttressed south side of the church leading towards the entrance porch — Buttresses and porchExterior

The blue west door of St Thomas beneath its carved stone arch, framed by trees — The door beneath the archExterior

The deep stone porch of St Thomas and its blue double doors, open to the path — The way inExterior

Sunlit side aisle with wooden pews and red tiled floor — Light along the aisleArchitecture

Central aisle leading through pews to the east window — Come and seeArchitecture

Symmetrical view down the red-carpeted nave toward the altar — The way to the altarArchitecture

View down the nave beneath black and white timber trusses — A place gatheredArchitecture

Broad view across the font, arcades and nave — A generous interiorArchitecture

Font in the foreground of the light-filled nave — Font and naveArchitecture

Wide view through the nave and arcades of St Thomas — The nave from the chancelArchitecture

View along the church interior beneath timber roof trusses — Arcades and timber roofArchitecture

Ornately carved stone baptismal font on a patterned floor — The fontWorship

Side view of the carved baptismal font — Baptismal stoneworkCraftsmanship

Baptismal font viewed across the nave — At the beginning of faithWorship

Gothic timber screen and arched doorway — The chancel screenCraftsmanship

Wooden eagle lectern beside the nave — The lecternCraftsmanship

Wooden lectern and carved stone pulpit — Word and witnessWorship

Stone pulpit framed by the church arcades — The pulpitCraftsmanship

Pulpit inscription reading Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel — Preach the GospelSacred art

Stone figure of Christ beside a leaded window — Christ the teacherSacred art

Carved angel corbel supporting an interior arch — A watchful angelCraftsmanship

Close view of a stone angel corbel — Stone angelCraftsmanship

Angel corbel and clustered arch detail — Craft in every cornerCraftsmanship

Ornately carved ceremonial chair beside the sanctuary — The sanctuary chairCraftsmanship

Side chapel altar framed by stained-glass lancet windows — A quiet place for prayerWorship

Paired stained-glass windows with flowers and candle stands — Devotion and colourStained glass

Paired stained-glass windows above a stone sill — Stories held in glassStained glass

Single coloured lancet window set in rough stone — Lancet windowStained glass

Single stained-glass figure illuminated in a stone recess — A figure in lightStained glass

Three saintly figures depicted in stained glass — Saints in glassStained glass

Tall stained-glass east window above the carved reredos — The east windowStained glass

Portrait view of the richly coloured east window — The great east windowStained glass

The high altar beneath the stained-glass east window — Altar and east windowWorship

Carved stone reredos and candles at the high altar — Carved sanctuary detailCraftsmanship

Frontal view of altar, candles and stone reredos — The table at the heartWorship

The high altar seen beneath the red and timber chancel roof — Towards the sanctuaryWorship

Painted scene of Christ on the cross inside St Thomas Church — At the foot of the crossSacred art