Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, Trowbridge

The Clark family of Bellefield House interested themselves in providing a church for this part of the town and from about 1867 services were held on the site in 'the Iron Schoolroom', which had been moved from another part of Trowbridge. The foundation stone of the present church was laid by Thomas Clark as a memorial to his father, and to provide a place of worship for poorer people on the north side of the town. All 400 seats were to be free; a rarity in those days. The church is cruciform in plan and was designed by William Smith in the Early English style. The new parish was formed out of the parishes of Trowbridge and Staverton in 1870 and the church was consecrated on 24th February 1870. A schoolroom, pictured here. was also built in the churchyard, as was a verger's cottage.

By the late 1950s there was discssion as to whether St. Thomas's should be absorbed in another parish but the decision was for it to remain separate for the length of the next incumbancy. During this time a strong youth movement developed. In 1967 the parish joined with Wingfield to form St. Thomas's, Trowbridge, and St. Mary's, Wingfield, with a joint vicar. In 1982 the parishes separated and St. Thomas's joined with West Ashton. The registers for christenings and marriages from 1870, other than those in current use, are held in the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office.