St Thomas, Cowshill
St Thomas, Cowshill
St Thomas, Heatherycleugh, is the parish church at Cowshill in upper Weardale, designed by W. D. Caroe and consecrated on 25 February 1915. It replaced an 1823 chapel of ease at Copt Hill that was taken down in 1914 when a nearby whinstone quarry undermined the ground.
- Location
- Cowshill, County Durham
- Country
- England
- County
- County Durham
- City / town
- Cowshill
- Address
- Cowshill, Cowshill, County Durham, DL13 1DD
- Postcode
- DL13 1DD
- Built
- 1911–15, reusing stone from the 1823 chapel at Copt Hill
- Consecrated
- 25 February 1915
- Architect
- W D Caroe
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Dedication
- Thomas
- Diocese
- Durham
- Parish
- West Weardale
- Style
- Early 20th-century Gothic
- Materials
- Stone with Westmorland slate roof
- Opening hours
- Open every day from 1st March to 31st October, 9am to 4pm.
- Access
- Level access to the main areas
Overview
The Church Heritage Record states that the present church is not listed. Parish history records a foundation stone laid on 31 July 1911 by Lord Barnard. Stone from the old chapel was reused. The building has a nave and chancel divided by a stone arch, a north vestry transept and a south organ transept, a stone bellcote with a single bell, and a timber boarded barrel ceiling. Floors are concrete with wood block under the pews and marble tiles in the chancel. There are three stained-glass windows and a two-manual Nelson of Durham organ. The church stands about 370 metres above sea level in the Cowshill conservation area.
The original chapel became a separate parish in 1866; registers date from 1823. The old churchyard at Copt Hill remains, with the outline of the former building visible. The church is now in the parish of West Weardale in the Diocese of Durham.