Historic church at centre of community for more than 100 years is now for sale

St Thomas’ Church, on Chapel Street in Leigh, has been boarded up since it shut in 2013 and has fallen into disrepair.

Questions about its future have circulated in the community, as many people wondered what would happen to the building that meant so much to so many.

Now a “for sale” sign has been erected outside by property firm MBRE and it is being advertised at a price of £275,000.

An open day for potential buyers was held this week, offering people the chance to look around the building where weddings, christenings and funerals once took place.

The church was built between 1902 and 1910 to replace the original St Thomas’ Church, which was consecrated in 1840.

It played an important part in the lives of people in the Bedford area for more than 100 years.

But it closed in 2013 after it was discovered problems with asbestos and its electrics could cost £1.5m to resolve.

The congregation merged with All Saints’ Church, on Kenwood Avenue, and has gone from strength to strength.

However, the empty church of St Thomas’ has fallen into a state of disrepair, even being ransacked by burglars in 2016 and targeted by firebugs.

It became a grade II-listed building in 2017, for reasons including its design quality and historic interest.

While the future of the building is not yet known, the sale by the Church of England does come with a special legal provision that it must be for a specific use.

Potential buyers interested in finding out more should go to mbre.space/property/st-thomas-church-leigh/

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