St Thomas, Eccleston, Prescot

[KitCarson]

Can anyone tell me if the current church is the original or has it been rebuilt at some time? I can see that the first records on Lancs OPC are from 1839.  Also, there should be a cemetery, but on streetview, I can't see one.  I have loads of ancestors who are associated with the church and wonder where they would have been buried.

Many thanks for any help.

Kit

[jangeo]

The original Church was demolished around the turn of the last century and replaced with a new one.

The most likley place for burials would be St Helens Cemetery, if you go on line they have a searchable data base. which is very good.

If you would like a picture of the old St Thomas send me your email via private message and I will send it to you

GeoffW

[KitCarson]

Thanks Geoff, I'd love to see a picture of the old Church and will PM you.  I only ask about burials as Lancs OPC seem to have burials attributed to the church, so I would presume that at some stage there was a cemetery.  I use the borough cemetery site all the time and its a fantastic resource.

Kit

[jvy20]

Hi,

People were buried in St Thomas Eccleston grounds.

The Church served a poor area of St Helens and there are only a few headstones.

John

[jangeo]

Hello John,

was the burial ground opposite the church. I have a faint map of St Thomas's Church and on the opposite side of the street there is what looks like a fenced off area, there is no writing to say what it is or was.

Geoff

[jvy20]

Pass on that. The headstones which are now visible are contained within the land that surrounds the Church.

Will see what I can find re position of any other land which was used for burials.

John

[KitCarson]

Hi John, by the amount of 'burials' indicated on LOPC you would think that there were a fair few buried there.  I'll need to take a look next time I visit to see if mine have grave stones.  Kit

[jvy20]

Kit,

Just posted on St Helens Connect re burial ground of St Thomas - sure somebody on there will know

Had one reply which suggests burials were intered at Hewitt Avenue St Helens. The area was subsequently vandalised and now has been built over.


John

[KitCarson]

Hi John, thanks for the info and sorry that I didn't reply sooner.  Work and Christmas are getting in the way 

Hewitt Avenue is quite some distance from St Thomas.  Wonder why they would have buried there.

Kit