imported>Nedrutland: /* External links */ Category:English churches dedicated to St Thomas Becket

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External links: Category:English churches dedicated to St Thomas Becket

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{{about|a church in Bath, Somerset|the church in Pensford, Somerset|St Thomas à Becket Church, Pensford}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox church
|name=St Thomas à Beckett Church
|image=St Thomas a Becket Church, Widcombe (geograph 978274).jpg
|caption=
|dedication=[[Thomas Becket|St Thomas Becket]]
|denomination=[[Church of England]]
|churchmanship=
|parish=Widcombe<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://widcombe.church/welcome/ |title=About Widcombe parish. Welcome |website=Widcombe Churches| access-date=2019-12-08}}</ref>
|deanery=Bath<ref name="ACNY">{{Cite web |url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/11074/more-information/ |title=St Thomas a Becket |website=A Church Near You|access-date=2019-12-08}}</ref>
|archdeaconry=Bath<ref name="ACNY" />
|diocese=Bath & Wells<ref name="ACNY" />
|website = https://widcombe.church
| former name = | bull date = | founded date = | founder = | dedicated date = | consecrated date = | cult = | relics = | events = | past bishop = | people = | status = | functional status = [[Parish church]]| heritage designation = Grade II*| designated date = | architect = | architectural type = [[Church (building)|Church]]|
|province=
|vicar=
|curate=
|coordinates={{coord|51.373425|-2.346556|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''St Thomas à Becket Church''' is a parish church of [[Widcombe, Bath|Widcombe]] in [[Bath, Somerset]] southwest England, and is one of a number of churches named after [[Thomas Becket]]. It is a Grade II* [[listed building]].<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1394116 |desc=Church of St Thomas a Becket |accessdate=4 April 2015}}</ref>

== History ==
The church was built between 1490 and 1498 by John Cantlow, Prior of Bath Abbey and took the place of an older Norman church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.widcombebenefice.org.uk/ourchurches.html|title=Widcombe Benefice Churches|accessdate=2008-11-01|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109193824/http://www.widcombebenefice.org.uk/ourchurches.html|archivedate=9 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> However, there was a common tradition that a weaver was the founder of the church, and an escutcheon bearing a weaver's shuttle can be seen<ref group="nb">as of 1791</ref> on the outside of one of the north battlements of the tower.<ref>{{cite book|title=The History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset, Collected from Authentick Records, and an Actual Survey Made by the Late Mr Edmund Rack Adorned with a Map of the County and Engravings of Roman and other Reliques, Town-seals, Baths, Churches and Gentleman's Seats.|author=Reverend John Collinson|volume=1|year=1791|pages=171–172|ISBN=978-1-171-40217-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EosgAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA171}}</ref> It is believed that there was originally a Saxon chapel on the site. The church was commonly called Old Widcombe Church and used to be the principal church of the parishes of Widcombe and Lyncombe. The [[Domesday]] survey of 1086 shows a small settlement around the church although no trace of it remains.<ref>{{cite book |title=Discovering Widcombe and Lyncombe| author=Maurice Scott| year=1984|ISBN = 0-9520876-0-X}}</ref>

In 1847 a much larger church, [[St Matthew's Church, Widcombe|St Matthews]], was built in Widcombe parish. On 22 April 1847, it was announced that the church bells, which had for centuries been in the tower of St. Thomas à Becket, were to be removed and installed in the new St. Matthew's.<ref>{{cite book | author = Peach, R. E. M | year = 1893 | title = Street-lore of Bath. A Record of Chianges in the Highways and Byways of the City. | publisher = Simpkin, Marshall, & Co., Lmtd. Bath | isbn=978-1-4097-1457-6 }}</ref> Legend has it that the bells were seized by force from the wardens of St Thomas's.<ref name="notes" />

After the opening of St Matthews, closure of St Thomas à Becket was suggested due to its poor condition at the time. However funds were raised for refurbishment and in 1860 three windows were installed, the ceiling of the tower raised by 10ft, with further work being completed in the following years.<ref>{{cite news|work=Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette|date=13 December 1860
|title=Re-opening of Widcombe Old Church|page=5}}</ref>

In 1889 a new organ by Messrs. Clark and Son of Bath was installed, and choir stalls placed in the chancel.<ref>{{cite news|work=Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette|date=25 April 1889|title=Opening of a New Organ at Widcombe Old Church|page=7}}</ref><ref name="notes">{{cite news|work=Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette|date=29 June 1905|title=Notes on Widcombe Old Church|page=6}}</ref>

On 15 January 1924 what was believed to have been the first ever [[Daily Office (Anglican)|evening service]] was held at the church. Parish registers extending back centuries had revealed only morning service had been held there previously.<ref>{{cite news|work=Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette|date=19 January 1924|title=Widcombe Old Church - First Evening Service on Record|page=16}}</ref>

==Burials==
*[[William Keasberry]], 1797
*[[Philip Bennet (Bath MP)|Bennet]], family tomb 1700s

==See also==
* [[List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells]]

==Notes==
<references group="nb" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://widcombe.church/our-churches/st-thomas/ Official website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Widcombe, Saint Thomas}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1498]]
[[Category:Churches completed in the 1490s]]
[[Category:15th-century church buildings in England]]
[[Category:Church of England church buildings in Bath and North East Somerset]]
[[Category:Churches in Bath, Somerset]]
[[Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Bath, Somerset]]
[[Category:Grade II* listed churches in Somerset]]
[[Category:English churches dedicated to St Thomas Becket]]

St Thomas à Becket Church, Widcombe - Revision history

imported>Nedrutland: /* External links */ Category:English churches dedicated to St Thomas Becket