The Parish of Church in the County of -- Lancashire --

Church and its close neighbour Oswaldtwistle lie between Blackburn and Accrington.

As with Oswaldtwistle, the main trades before the Industrial Revolution were weaving and agriculture, but by the mid-19th Century the textile industry dominated the town with spinning and weaving mills, print and chemical works. There were also mines and quarries. The town is connected to the coast by the Leeds and Liverpool canal and Church and Oswaldtwistle still share a station on the line between Preston and York.

The Parish Church of St James, Church Kirk can be dated back to 642 A.D. and has recently been closed and is up for sale. The church was originally dedicated to St Oswald, but in 1536 there is a reference to its dedication to All Saints. Since this time there is no further indication of it dedication to any other than St James.

There are three daughter churches of St James. Immanuel Church Oswaldtwistle, formed in 1837, St Paul’s Church Oswaldtwistle formed in 1884 and St Augustine’s Huncoat Accrington formed in 1909. St Oswald’s Roman Catholic Chapel was opened in 1852 and closed in 1869 when Sacred Heart Church was opened in Accrington, which itself is now closed and demolished. The Particular Baptist Chapel at Ernest St opened in 1868.

Further details on the location of the records for these churches can be found on the GENUKI Church pages and also on the Lancashire Archives pages at Preston.