St Thomas More, Bradford-on-Avon
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| St Thomas More Roman Catholic Church | |
| Building information | |
|---|---|
| Town | Bradford-on-Avon |
| Country | England |
| Architect | Thomas Fuller |
| Client | Bradford-on-Avon Town Council |
| Style | Victorian architecture |
Located near the historic Town Bridge and opposite the Swan Hotel (AD. 1500) and the Dandy Lion Pub, the Catholic Church of St. Thomas More is an excessively large and impressive structure. It was designed as the small town's town hall and incorporated a police department on its first floor and several other municipal services. The structure was designed by the famous Bath architect Thomas Fuller, who would leave England in 1845 for Antigua and then Canada where he would go on to design the Canadian Parliament House.
Although the town was small, the hall represented Bradford-on-Avon's pride in its wool market. The structural complex was put on the market in the 1930s for 3000 pounds and during the war years it hosted several dances and film screenings. The complex was purchased and the second floor's council chamber was converted into a Catholic church in the 1950s. The expense to operate such a massive complex is offset by having the municipal offices on the first floor converted into retail and utilizing the parking lot in back. A new staircase and elevator was recently constructed at the back of the former council hall, now church, provide disabled access to the worship area so disabled worshippers can access the site from the car park.
