← Back⛪ Religious grounds

St Thomas's Church

📷 Alexander P Kapp · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome

Getting here

53.48502, -2.63833

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
☕Hel's Kitchen — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
☕Hel's Kitchen — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

CaféParking· Paid

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Mallard +69 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Mallard +69 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Creeping Buttercup, Rowan, Daisy +43 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Creeping Buttercup, Rowan, Daisy +43 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, Common Wasp, 7-spot Ladybird +24 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, Common Wasp, 7-spot Ladybird +24 more · last seen 2026

Free

Family friendly

Good match

café

Free

Dog walks

Good match

Dogs allowed with public access

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

GM Ringway Stage 16Walking route16.3 km

GM Ringway Stage 16 - Wigan to Leigh

Named routeLength 16.3 kmRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

4 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route 55Cycling route

Named routeRef 55National Cycle Network

Sankey Canal TrailCycling route

Named routeRef SCTLocal cycle route

Main RouteCycling route45 m

Named routeRef 55Length 45 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface cobbles

Main RouteCycling route1 km

Named routeRef 55Length 1 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Wildlife to spot

4,499 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

4,499 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds47 species

autumnwinter

2026

Woodpigeon · Magpie · Black-headed Gull · Lesser Black-backed Gull · House Sparrow +42

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
MagpiePica pica
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
Great TitParus major
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Grey PartridgePerdix perdix2024

🦌

Mammals2 species

winterspring

2026

Grey Squirrel · Brown Hare

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Brown HareLepus europaeus

🐝

Insects10 species

autumn

2026

Harlequin Ladybird · 7-spot Ladybird · Pea-leaf Weevil · Common Wasp · Western Honey Bee +5

Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2025
Pea-leaf WeevilSitona lineatus
Common WaspVespula vulgaris2025
Western Honey BeeApis mellifera2025
Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus2025
Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax2024
Alder Leaf BeetleAgelastica alni2024
Early BumblebeeBombus pratorum2024
Tree BumblebeeBombus hypnorum2024

🌿

Plants22 species

summer

2026

Creeping Buttercup · Early Crocus · Spotted-laurel · Reed Canary-grass · Sycamore +17

Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens2024
Early CrocusCrocus tommasinianus
Spotted-laurelAucuba japonica
Reed Canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea2025
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus2025
ColtsfootTussilago farfara2025
WeldReseda luteola2025
Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris2025
Greater SpearwortRanunculus lingua2025
Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare2025
Three-cornered GarlicAllium triquetrum2025
Green AlkanetPentaglottis sempervirens2025
Hart's-TongueAsplenium scolopendrium2024
Marsh CudweedGnaphalium uliginosum2024
TutsanHypericum androsaemum2024
Marsh WoundwortStachys palustris2024
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria2024
DaisyBellis perennis2024
Black MedickMedicago lupulina2024
White CloverTrifolium repens2024
Giant HogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum2024
Lesser TrefoilTrifolium dubium2024

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

4,499 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds47 species

autumnwinter

2026

Woodpigeon · Magpie · Black-headed Gull · Lesser Black-backed Gull · House Sparrow +42

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
MagpiePica pica
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
Great TitParus major
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Grey PartridgePerdix perdix2024

🦌

Mammals2 species

winterspring

2026

Grey Squirrel · Brown Hare

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Brown HareLepus europaeus

🐝

Insects10 species

autumn

2026

Harlequin Ladybird · 7-spot Ladybird · Pea-leaf Weevil · Common Wasp · Western Honey Bee +5

Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2025
Pea-leaf WeevilSitona lineatus
Common WaspVespula vulgaris2025
Western Honey BeeApis mellifera2025
Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus2025
Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax2024
Alder Leaf BeetleAgelastica alni2024
Early BumblebeeBombus pratorum2024
Tree BumblebeeBombus hypnorum2024

🌿

Plants22 species

summer

2026

Creeping Buttercup · Early Crocus · Spotted-laurel · Reed Canary-grass · Sycamore +17

Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens2024
Early CrocusCrocus tommasinianus
Spotted-laurelAucuba japonica
Reed Canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea2025
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus2025
ColtsfootTussilago farfara2025
WeldReseda luteola2025
Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris2025
Greater SpearwortRanunculus lingua2025
Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare2025
Three-cornered GarlicAllium triquetrum2025
Green AlkanetPentaglottis sempervirens2025
Hart's-TongueAsplenium scolopendrium2024
Marsh CudweedGnaphalium uliginosum2024
TutsanHypericum androsaemum2024
Marsh WoundwortStachys palustris2024
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria2024
DaisyBellis perennis2024
Black MedickMedicago lupulina2024
White CloverTrifolium repens2024
Giant HogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum2024
Lesser TrefoilTrifolium dubium2024

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Alexander P Kapp · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

St Thomas Church, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Pulpit

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Nearby places

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🦉THREE SISTERS (WIGAN)Nature reserve2.4 km→🌱Mesnes ParkUrban park3.6 km→🌱King George V Playing FieldsUrban park500 m→🌱Jubilee ParkUrban park700 m→🌱Golborne Park (The Bonk)Urban park2.6 km→🌱Willow ParkUrban park3.7 km→

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