VISIT OF LEEDS PARISH CHURCH CHOIR TO THORNTON-IN-LONSDALE CHURCH, SATURDAY 4th JANUARY 1992

When I heard that the choir had once again arranged to come in January and the church was to be Thornton-in-Lonsdale my thoughts went back to the disastrous fire which destroyed the roof and everything in the Church but left the tower and the clock still striking the hour when the fire brigade arrived.

Messrs. Austin and Paley the Lancaster architects who were famous throughout the north of England for their church architecture were asked to arrange and supervise the restoration. This was the last contract they undertook before closing down their business when Mr Paley retired.

A Lancaster firm of builders restored the stonework and Brassington Sons & Co. Ltd. carried out the roofing and woodwork. The funds available were limited and the roof timbers are Colombian pine and not oak and chairs had to take the place of pews. Mr Tarney, who was Paley's Clerk of Works, designed the lectern which was made of oak. The roof principals were made in our own mill at Settle then taken to Thornton and reassembled on the floor of the Church and each principal was raised by using a derrick, in this case a 40 foot larch tree and ropes and a pulley. Fortunately we were blessed with good craftsmen and it was quite a challenge for me to bring the contract to a satisfactory conclusion.