The Parish Church of St Thomas, Lydiate and Downholland

About Us

We are a Christian community seeking to grow in faith through fellowship, worship, prayer and learningtogether. We strive to reflect God’s love through service and mission. The Liverpool Diocesan rule of lifeguides our efforts to listen to God's call, regardless of age or background and to be people who pray,read and learn so we can tell, serve and give.

Our church community is made up of people of all ages. All are welcome at every service. During termtime, on the second Sunday we are joined by all sections of the Scouting and Guiding organisationsbased in Lydiate for a lively Church Parade.

Located in the beautiful Lydiate countryside, we are an active Anglican parish linked through ourcombined benefice with St. Cuthbert's church in Halsall. We have strong and lively links with StThomas', St Cuthbert's and Haskayne Downholland Schools and are part of the admission policy foreach of them.

St Thomas' church is in the Deanery of Ormskirk, in the Archdeaconry of Knowsley and Sefton, and partof the Diocese of Liverpool. We share our Rector with St Cuthbert’s Halsall.

The church building was built between 1839 and 1841 and was originally intended as a chapel of ease toSt Cuthbert, Halsall. It became a parish in its own right in 1871. Additions were made to the church in1912, including the chancel, a south chapel and a north vestry. In 2000 a new parish hall was built acrossthe road from the church – the Millenium Centre, which can be hired for events when not being used forchurch events. A new entrance to the church, to enable disabled access and a disabled toilet in thechurch, was created around the same time. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List forEngland as a designated Grade II listed.

St. Thomas' Church has strong links with the local Church of England primary schools:

St. Thomas' Lydiate (Head Teacher Mrs Emily Alty)

Downholland Haskayne (Head Teacher Mr David Swindells)

St. Cuthbert's Church of England School Halsall (Head Teacher Ms Kate Hampson)