The Church of St Peter, Accrington in the County of -- Lancashire --

	The Church of St Peter, Accrington

	The Church of St Peter, Accrington

	The Church Sign at St Peter, Accrington

St Peter’s Church is the most prominent ecclesiastical building in the Higher Antley area of Accrington. The building is Grade II listed and it sits on a brow above the town on the south side. Although without a tower and with only a small spire on the roof, it is an imposing structure and is a good modern example of Decorated Gothic. Its length and height give it an appearance of massiveness and dignity, the south porch being a notable feature of the south side.

The Church commenced as a mission in a joiners’ shop in Ranger Street in 1869, and continued there until 1873. In the latter year an infant school was built in Willows Lane.

The foundation stone of St Peter’s church was laid on July 17th 1886, by Miss Hargreaves, of Broad Oak, and a corner stone was also laid by Colonel Starkie, Provincial Grand Master of the Freemasons of East Lancashire, with Masonic rite. In 1889 the church was consecrated by Bishop Moorhouse, of Manchester, and on the 3rd of the following August the Rev. William Hayes was inducted first vicar.

The total cost of the church was £7,000, all of which was subscribed before the first vicar left the parish.

Succeeding vicars were Rev. P Saben and Rev. J T Lawrence, who died as vicar there. He was a versatile man and wrote on local church history. There then followed Rev. J Penistone and Rev. J Bridge.