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Church Thornton

This year we are celebrating 400 years of St. James Church in Thornton. In the grounds (and graveyard) opposite the modern day St. James Church on Thornton Road in Thornton, you will discover the remains of a building with interesting architecture and a very interesting history.

Before 1612 the building was known as ‘Saint Leonards’.  For those who enjoy their historical facts, this was at the time when King James was on the throne and a year earlier, in 1611, the King James bible was first published.

After this date the name changed to ‘Saint James’.  No one knows the reason for the name change.  All we do know, is that a group of local people, including Precilla Bannister and the local freemasons, with the Lord of the Manor, rebuilt the existing chapel and changed the name to St James.  

Bancrofts from Yorkshire

In more recent times we have come to affectionately know the building as ‘Bell Chapel’ or ‘Brontë Bell Chapel’.  ‘Brontë Bell Chapel’ is a reference to one of the most recognised times in the Chapel’s history. The Brontë’s were the most famous people baptised in the chapel and Patrick Brontë preached there from 1815 -1820. Thornton village is also the birthplace of the these famous literary figures. brontebellchapel

thorntonchurch