St Thomas

The original church, located at Copt hill a few hundred metres away, was built as a Chapel of Ease in 1823 and was constituted a separate parish in 1866. In the early part of the 20th century the Whinstone quarry nearby had caused the ground to erode. The decision was made to move the church stone by stone and it was taken down in 1914. The old churchyard still exists but the only sign of the building is the outline in the ground. The present church was built by WD Caroe and consecrated in 1915. It is built of stone, the chancel is separated from the nave by a stone arch. The vestry transept is to the north and an organ transept to the south, both entered from the choir. The church is not a listed building but is in the Durham County Council conservation area of Cowshill. The roof is Westmoreland slates and a stone bellcotec with a single bell being tolled from the vestry. The nave and chancel have a timber boarded barrel shaped ceiling. The parochial register dates from 1823. There are three stained glass windows and the Nelson of Durham organ. The floors are concrete with wood block floors under the pews. In the chancel and altar the floor is solid marble tiles with stone steps at the chancel arch position and at the altar rail.