St Thomas' church, Garstang.

Spent some time in Garstang, a market town with a long distinguished history. Set halfway between Preston and Lancaster. The A6 goes past the town but not through it. The M6 goes past it but not through it. Garstang is sandwiched between the two!

It is really likeable and plenty to see historically.
I was drawn to the war memorial which I photographed. Then visited St Thomas' church. Then explored the graveyard. Its on a tilt and is probably the slippiest place I have ever been in!

The graveyard to the rear of the church. The leaves on the ground on the slabs made it slippy.
Not sure it was as tilted as this! A panoramic shot stitched together.

These were the two servicemen’s graves I found.

Private E. Crompton

Private A.E Richardson

Both men were comparatively old when they died. Both left wives and family in the local area too. The links relate to a reference within the CWGC Database.

St Michaels on Wyre and the Memorial

This together with the datastore represents two visits to this church. The first visit was to capture the memorial at the front of the church that faces the main road and any thing interesting on the outside. The panoramas and the inside shots were taken largely on the second visit. St Michaels sits roughly half way between the southern hills of the Pennines and the Fleetwood area. The next main town from on the main road is Garstang. Itself a town seeping with history. This page is most definitely a work in progress but for now some photographs. This has now been designated a class 1 listed building. Much of the history of the building can be found here.
This memorial is listed at the War Memorials Archive as No:3417

From the rear of the church, The sundial is clearly visible. It shows the nave and the south aisle really clearly really quite clearly. That is quite an old Yew to the left. The war memorial is the other side of the church as is the main road

Looking towards the alter. This shot makes the Church look quite large. It really isn't.
The organ is at the bottom of the south nave(right)

The light streaming in through the windows facing south adds an airy feel to the church.

The river Wyre bridge. The memorial is just to the left.
Completely taken by surprise - managed to get a shot off!

Facing the South Entrance

The South entrance, The date 1611 is over the door

From the rear of the church

From the rear of the church. The yew to the left and the sundial to the right.

THIS STONE
IS DEDICATED
IN PROUD AND
LOVING MEMORY
OF
THE MEMBERS
OF THIS PARISH
WHO FELL IN THE
GREAT WARS
THAT GENERATIONS YET UNBORN
MAY NOT FORGET
HOW MUCH THEY OWE
TO THE BRAVE MEN
WHO AT THE CALL
OF DUTY
FOUGHT FOR THE
HONOUR
OF THEIR COUNTRY
AND FOLLOWING
THE GREAT EXAMPLE
WILLINGLY
LAID DOWN
THEIR LIVES FOR OTHERS
1914-1918

1939-1945
MAKE THEM TO BE NUMBERED WITH THY
SAINTS IN GLORY EVERLASTING

The panoramic effect makes the rail seem curved it isn't. However to the left of the main window is some of the original plasterwork that was painted.

The modern yew tree avenue towards the west of the church.
This is from the road

More or less from the bridge before the road goes over the River Wyre

From the South entrance. Considering how small the church is - it is quite light. This is the South Aisle. Maybe to do with the white painted plaster. Restoration work is pretty good - it does not shriek at you. Well looked after, tidy church and a pleasure to be in. Soaking in history. There has been a church here since the 13th Century. A history of the building can be found here. There is no reason to doubt that there could have been a church of sorts here in the fifth century. Suspect it may have been of wood.

 The memorial and an overview of the church and the grounds:

The Roll of Honour within the church
(I have left out the names of the regiments. Many are not clear) I have corrected the alphabetical order.
Bailey, John
Bamber, Richard
Bateson, John MM
Ball, Barry
Ball, Robert
Birket, William
Bolton, Samuel
Catterall, Edward
Catterall, John
Catterall, Robert
Clegg, William
Colinson, William
Cornall, Rowland
Coupe, James
Croft, John
Davies, Roger
Dugdale, Thomas
Dugdale, James
Dunderdale, Ernest
Dunderdale, Frank
Eastham, John
Eastham, Samuel
Eteson, Albert
Fairclough, Harvey
Fisher, Septimus
Hall, John
Hall, Henry
Harrison, Walter
Hesketh, Reginald
Hesketh, Harold
Hesketh, Thomas
Hodgson, Henry
Hodgson, John
Hodgson, William
Hodgkinson, Robert
Hodgkinson, Thomas
Hogarth, John
Hogarth, William
Hornby, Hugh
Hornby, Geoffrey
Hornby, William
Hornby, Edward
Jenkinson, James
Jenkinson, John
Jenkinson, Thomas
Jenkinson, William
Kellett, George
Kirby, Thomas
Kirby, Herbert
Miller, John
Moss, Arthur
Moss, William
Moss, James
Moss, John
Moss, Thomas
Myerscough, Thomas
Pilling, Henry
Pimm, William
Pimm, Percival
Proctor, Joseph
Pye, Bartle
Rawcliffe, Richard
Rawcliffe, William
Rawcliffe, Benjiman
Robinson, Thomas
Rowson, Christopher
Seed, John
Sharples, James
Sharples, Jacob
Sharples, Thomas
Stuart, Robert
Thornboro(ugh), Thomas
Walton, Joseph
Wedge, John
Wells, John

The Names on the Memorial
Harry Ball
Robert Ball
John Croft
Henry Hall
Harold Robert Hesketh
Thomas James Hesketh
Geoffrey Phipps Hornby
William Hornby
Thomas Jenkinson
George Kellett
Percival Burchope Pimm
William Reginald Pimm
Bartle Pye
William Hays Rawcliffe
Christopher Rowson
James Sharples
Robert Stuart
Joseph Walton
John Tripyer Bateson MM Russia 1919

I think the panel at the front had been added later, the edges do not have quite the same rough profile as the vertical ones. It is possible to see where the lettering has been removed from the bottom of the WW1 stone. The words on the bottom appear to be the same.

1939 -1945

Frederick George Bamber
William Percival fairclough
Henry Crayston Hodgson
"Make them be numbered with thy
saints in glory everlasting"

Albert Wedge - Palestine 1947

Pilot Officer
F.G.BAMBER
BOMB AIMER
ROYAL AIR FORCE
22ND AUGUST 1942 AGE 31
(Frederick George Bamber)