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This is the Lancashire parishes (and chapelries) page. | This is the Lancashire parishes (and chapelries) page. | ||
Lancashire from early times | Lancashire is by far one of England's most populated counties. Yet from early times Lancashire possessed only about 75 ancient parishes, making it exceptionally unique among all of England's counties. | ||
For example, Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucestershire and most other less populated counties were comprised of hundreds of parishes. By contrast, each of Lancashire's parishes were ecclesiastically subdivided by an average of 8 chapels of ease, often referred to as chapelries, district churches and/or an ecclesiastical parish (though usually ''not'' the ancient or 'mother' parish). | |||
Overall, the county was also comprised over 400 of these smaller chapels of ease of the Church of England! A slightly larger majority of them however, only commenced from mostly the 1830's, onward. | |||
Each chapelry (church) kept their own separate church registers of christenings, often burial and sometimes marriage registers as well. Many of Lancashire's chapels were established from ancient times. The vast majority of its chapels and district churches never received "parish" status. Those that did so, were granted parish status by the twentieth century. Most of those that did not obtain "parish" status were not granted 'licence' to marry couples. | |||
Due mostly to the Industrial Revolution, Lancashire had by the 19th Century, become one of England's most populated counties. To handle the dramatic population explosion within its county boundaries, the Established Church, that is the Church of England, created hundreds of chapels of ease (or chapelries) and district churches, each one attached to an ancient parish. | Due mostly to the Industrial Revolution, Lancashire had by the 19th Century, become one of England's most populated counties. To handle the dramatic population explosion within its county boundaries, the Established Church, that is the Church of England, created hundreds of chapels of ease (or chapelries) and district churches, each one attached to an ancient parish. | ||