St James's Thornton benefits from grant.

Churches in the Bradford district have been saved from disrepair and eventual ruin – thanks to a total of £746,000 in Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grants.

St James’s Church, Thornton, will receive £166,000. The building features an early William Morris stained glass window and the Bronte sisters were christened in its font. The bulk of the money will be spent on replacing the roof.

 

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Note: The original ancient church of St James in Thornton (which was known locally as the "Bell Chapel") was built between the years 1587 and 1612, but underwent many alterations in the years leading up to the appointment of Patrick Bronte as parson in March 1815. On building of the new church in 1872, the old Bell Chapel fell into immediate disuse. Not much of the original building remains, but the cupola and one wall is still intact in the graveyard opposite the new church. bronte-country

Four of Patrick’s famous children, Charlotte, Emily, Branwell and Ann were all baptised in the Old Bell Chapel during the period he was there, and the original font from the old chapel, used to baptize his children, is now on display in St James’s across the road.


From:   more pictures on Bancrofts from Yorkshire old-bell-chapel-thornton