The Over-Wyre Churches: a brief survey

by Julia M. Beeden

Many of the Anglican churches and chapels of the Over-Wyre area have foundations of great antiquity. The following notes are merely a brief account of the age and dedication of these religious establishments. The information contained here has been taken from only three secondary sources and is not intended as a complete history of any such church or chapel. It is hoped to include articles of more detail on each church or chapel in the Over-Wyre area, in this and future editions of the "Journal".

Pilling St. John Baptist

Three distinct "churches" existed in turn on separate sites, with the same dedication.

(1) Medieval Chapel at Newers Wood.

Probably existed c. 1194 according to Charter of Theobald Walter with Canons of Cockersand Abbey (see pages 13-16).
Definitely existed in 1493 when one Agnes Shepherd lived there as a solitary (i.e. hermit).

(2) "Old Church".

A mainly Georgian building some 100 yards south of the present Church; with old graveyard. Built 1717-21. New gallery 1812-13.
Still standing intact and occasionally used for Church Services.

(3) Victorian Church.

Built 1886-7 by Paley and Austin, architects of Lancaster.

Eagland Hill St. Mark

A mission Church. The foundation stone was laid by James Jenkinson on Friday, 13 August 1869, according to a note at Pilling Exhibition, 14/15 June 1980. Built 1869. Still part of parish of St. John Baptist, Pilling.

Preesall St. Oswald

Probably built 1898, and 1910, by Austin and Paley of Lancaster. Originally a chapel of ease to Stalmine Church.

Stalmine St. James

The Church of St. James was built around 1806 or 1808 and restored in 1888. Without doubt, a chapel existed somewhere at Stalmine from the Middle Ages, but various sources give different dates. A chapel existed in Stalmine c. 1200 as a dependency of Lancaster Priory, and a cemetery wad consecrated in 1230. In 1430 the Vicar of Lancaster was responsible for maintaining a chaplain ant services were kept up post-Reformation. The dedication of the earlier chapel is unknown. The site of the medieval chapel is also uncertain and may not be the present site.

Hambleton Blessed Virgin Mary

Known to have existed in 1577, was rebuilt in 1749 and 1877; enlarged in 1972/3. A chapel of St. Mary probably existed here in the Middle Ages, for Robert Shireburne of Stoneyhurst obtained a licence for his oratory at Hambleton in 1456. The site was formerly moated.

Out Rawcliffe St. John

Built 1837/8.

St. Michael's-on-Wyre, in the township of Upper Rawcliffe.
Said to have existed in A.D. 640! Rebuilt in 1525. Obviously existed in 1086 because mentioned in Domesday Book under Hundred of Amounderness. Fifteenth or Sixteenth Century building with earlier parts, possibly Thirteenth Century.

Garstang Churchtown St. Helen

Existed twelfth century, possibly 1160: restored 1701, 1811, 1868. Ancient parish church of Garstang -a huge area which included Pilling in the Middle Ages. Lancashire Parishes, pre-nineteenth century were very large in area when compared with parishes in the South of England.

Winmarleigh St. Luke

Built 1876 by Paley and Austin of Lancaster.

Cockerham St. Michael

Existed 1134; rebuilt 1814 and 1900.

Glasson Dock Christ Church

Built 1840.
It is hoped that any errors contained in the sources below will be corrected when further, more detailed research is undertaken.

Bibliography

The Diocese of Blackburn, Directory, 1975.
W. Farrer & J. Brownbill (eds.), A History of the County of Lancaster, volume vii, London, Constable & Company, Limited, 1912.
Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England-Lancashire, 2, The Rural North, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, Penguin Books, 1969.