Lancashire Parishes

England Lancashire Parishes

Return to the Lancashire page.

This is the Lancashire parishes (and chapelries) page.

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 more parishes. 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, the Church of England, created hundreds of chapels of ease (or chapelries) and district churches, each one attached to an ancient parish. Unlike other counties, by contrast, Lancashire's approximately 75 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 comprised over 400 of these smaller chapels of ease of the Church of England. A majority of them however, were created mostly from the 1820's to 1900. Yet many of Lancashire's chapels--like their ancient parish counterpart--were established from ancient times.

Each chapelry (church) kept their own separate church registers of christenings, often burial and sometimes marriage registers as well. Most chapelries did not obtain "parish" status and were not granted 'licence' to marry couples until after 1836. The vast majority of Lancashire's chapels and district churches never received "parish" status until modern times, mostly by the twentieth century. 

Note to all Lancashire Researchers:

The following list of 'Lancashire parishes" is a list of its 75 ancient parishes and their approximately 400-plus ecclesiastcal churches, chapels of ease, chapelries, district chapels, parochial chapelries,etc.

To help you determine all chapelries within an ancient parish, see or view the "Lancashire Ancient Parishes" page or,click on any ofthe ancient parishes listed below (see double asterisked ["**"] names below); then click the "Comprehensive List of Parishes and Chapelries" link found at the top of each parish's main page. You will find each chapel listed with 1) the year it was created, 2)the name of the ancient (or 'mother') parish to which it was attached, and 3) with a hyper-link which takes you directly to the FamilySearch Catalog for available microfilms to view for that chapel or parish's registers of christenings, marriages and burials, etc.

Critically, and unlike all other England counties (except Cheshire, parts of West Yorkshire, Greater London and most big cities), identifying, listing and then researching Lancashire's parishes used to require that you perform a study to identify all chapelries attached to each ancient parish. Until now, this was quite difficult to accomplish, and yet a crucial step in order to conduct thorough research in Lancashire. This is because it required using several reference aids, guides and tools to compile comprehensive, a thorough list, many of which are not conveniently available to the researcher. Each Lancashire parish averaged close to 8 chapelries (additional separate churches with baptism and etc., registers) each. The biggest challenge is Manchester--which is the largest parish in England with its 150-plus chapelries lying within its boundary! No single reference aid, tool, or source is complete or accurate in identifying all chapels of ease within each ancient parish. However, here in the Lancashire Wiki pages, you will find that this task has been done for you with all the chapelries identified and listed for you. How is this done? You will note that each chapelry page "Parish History" precisely indicates to which ancient parish to which it is attached. Conversely, each Parish page identifies by name each and every chapelry lying within its boundary. As new and the hard-to-find chapelries come to light, they are added to the "Comprehensive List of Chapelries" (see link to, found at top of each ancient Parish page).

The "Comprehensive Lists", (see links found in each parish's Main page), are printable and provide as complete a listing of all chapels in each parish as may be found in one single place--anywhere.

After completing research in the ancient parish registers, be certain to ask yourself if you have also searched in the church registers of each chapelry attached to that parish (as listed in the "Comprehensive Lists" of parishes and chapels). To not follow this strategy in your research will result in less-than thorough searching, and failure to solve your research problems or objectives. These lists will greatly aid you as you attempt to progress your research into surrounding, contiguous parishes and their respective attached chapels, and so on. Aside from the sheer magnitude of its population, incomplete lists of chapels and chapelries lying within an ancient parish boundary is one of the major reasons many researchers have decades-old 'brickwall' research problems in tracing ancestral lineages in Lancashire!

While the list (below) indicates most of Lancashire's more prominent churches--including its 75 ancient parishes (**), you will find more thorough, "Comprehensive Lists" found in each parish page with the most complete and thorough list of all chapelries attached to each's ancient parish (click those with a "**"):

The Parishes (and some Chapelries)

Accrington St James Adlington Admarsh Aigburth Ainsworth Aldingham** Altcar** Altham Ancoats All Souls Ancoats St Andrew Angerton Ardwick St Thomas Arkholme Ashton in Makerfield St Thomas** Ashton in Makerfield Holy Trinity Ashton under Lyne Christ Church Ashton under Lyne St Michael** Ashton under Lyne St Peter Ashton upon Ribble St Andrew Ashworth Astley Astley Bridge Atherton Audenshaw Aughton ** Bacup Balderstone Bamber Bridge St Saviour Bardsley Barrowford Barton Barton upon Irwell Bedford Leigh Beswick Bevington Bickerstaffe Billinge Birch - see Birch in Hopwood Birch in Hopwood Birch in Rusholme Bircle Birtle Bispham** Blackburn Holy Trinity Blackburn St John Blackburn St Mary** Blackburn St Michael and All Angels Blackburn St Paul Blackburn St Peter Blackley St Peter Blackpool St John Blackrod Blawith Bolton le Moors All Saints Bolton le Moors Christ Church Bolton le Moors Emmanuel Bolton le Moors Holy Trinity Bolton le Moors St George Bolton le Moors St Peter** Bolton le Sands Little Bolton St John Bootle St Mary Bradshaw Brathay Bretherton Briercliffe Brindle** Broughton Broughton in Furness Burnley St Paul Burnley St Peter Burnley St James Burscough Bridge Burton in Kendal - see Westmorland County Burton Wood Bury St John Bury St Mary** Bury St Paul Cartmel** Cartmel Fell Caton with Littledale Chadderton St John Chadderton St Matthew Chatburn Cheetham Hill St Mark Cheetham Hill St Luke Childwall** Chipping** Chorley St George Chorley St Laurence** Chorley St Peter Chorlton cum Hardy Chorlton upon Medlock All Saints Chorlton upon Medlock St Luke Chorlton upon Medlock St Saviour Church Coniston Church Kirk Claughton Claughton St Chad** Clayton le Moors Clitheroe Clitheroe Castle Clitheroe St James Cockerham** Cockersand Abbey Coldhurst Colne Colne Christ Church Colton** Coniston Copp Coppull Croft with Southworth** Crossens Croston** Croxteth Park Dalton in Furness** Deane** Dendron Denton Denton Christ Church Didsbury Dolphinholme Downham

Droylsden East Broughton East Crompton Eccles** Eccleston St Mary (near Croston)** Eccleston Christ Church (near Prescot) Eccleston St Thomas Edenfield Egton cum Newland Ellel Ellenbrook Elton Euxton Everton Christ Church Everton St Augustine Everton St George Everton St Peter Failsworth Farington Farnworth Farnworth and Kearsley Fence-in-Pendle Feniscowles Field Broughton St Peter Finsthwaite Flixton** Flookburgh Formby Garstang** Garstang St Thomas Garston Glasson Glodwick Golborne Goodshaw Goosnargh Gorton St James Great Crosby Great Eccleston Great Harwood Great Lever Great Marsden Great Sankey Gressingham Grimsargh Habergham All Saints Habergham Eaves Haigh and Aspull Hale Halewood Halliwell St Paul Halliwell St Peter Halsall** Halton** Hambleton Harpurhey Harwood Haslingden Haverthwaite Hawkshead** Healey Heapey Heaton Norris Henheads Hesketh with Becconsall** Hey Heyhouses Heysham** Heywood Heywood St James Hindley Hoghton Holcombe Hollinfare Hollinwood Holme Island Holme St John Hoole** Hornby Horwich Hulme Christ Church Hulme St George Hulme St Mark Hundersfield Hurst Hurst Green Huyton** Inskip Kirkby Kirkby Ireleth** Kirkdale St Mary Kirkham** Knotty Ash St John the Evangelist Knowsley Lancaster Castle Lancaster St Anne Lancaster St John Lancaster St Mary** Lancaster St Thomas Lane Bridge Langho Latchford_St_James Lathom St James Leck Leesfield Leigh** Lever Bridge Leyland** Lindale Litherland Christ Church Little Bolton All Saints Little Bolton St John Little Crosby Little Hulton Little Lever Little Marsden Littleborough Liverpool St Peter and St Nicholas** Liverpool All Saints Liverpool All Souls Vauxhall Liverpool Blessed Virgin Mary Liverpool Christ Church Liverpool Holy Innocents Liverpool Holy Trinity Liverpool St Andrew Liverpool St Anne Liverpool St Barnabas Liverpool St Bartholomew Liverpool St Bride

Liverpool St Catherine Liverpool St David Liverpool St George Liverpool St John Liverpool St John the Evangelist Liverpool St Luke Liverpool St Mark Liverpool St Martin in the Fields Liverpool St Martin Cemetery Liverpool St Mary's Cemetery Liverpool St Mary Liverpool St Matthew Liverpool St Matthias Liverpool St Michael Liverpool St Nicholas - united with Liverpool St Peter in 1838 Liverpool St Paul Liverpool St Peter Liverpool St Philip Liverpool St Saviour Liverpool St Silas Liverpool St Simon Liverpool St Stephen Liverpool St Thomas Longridge Longton Lower Darwen St James Lowick Lowton** Lumb Lund Lydgate Lydiate Lytham ** Lytham St John Maghull Manchester All Souls Manchester Cathedral Manchester Our Lady, St George and St Denys** Manchester St Ann Manchester St Barnabas Manchester St Clement Manchester St George Manchester St James Manchester St John Manchester St Mary Manchester St Matthew, Campfield Manchester St Matthias Manchester St Michael Manchester St Paul Manchester St Peter Manchester St Peter, Oldham Road Manchester St Philip Manchester St Philip, Bradford Road Marton Mawdesley with Bispham Melling** Melling (near Liverpool) Mellor Mellor-Brook - see also Mellor and Balderstone Middleton** Milnrow Mitton St Michael** Mossley Much Woolton Musbury Newchurch** Newchurch in Culcheth Newchurch in Pendle Newchurch in Rossendale Newton All Saints Newton in Makerfield Emmanuel Newton in Makerfield St Peter ** North Meols** Oldham St James Oldham St Mary Oldham St Peter Openshaw Ormskirk** Oswaldtwistle Out Rawcliffe Over Darwen St James Over Darwen St John the Evangelist Over Darwen St Peter Over Darwen Holy Trinity Over Kellet Overton Paddington Padgate Padiham Parr Peel Pemberton Pendlebury Pendleton All Saints (near Clitheroe) Pendleton St Thomas (near Salford) Pendleton Hall Pennington ** Penwortham** Pilling Poulton Poulton le Fylde** Poulton le Sands Prescot** Preston All Saints Preston Christ Church Preston Holy Trinity Preston St George Preston St James Preston St John** Preston St Mary Preston St Paul Preston St Peter Preston St Wilfrid Prestwich St Mary** Quernmore Radcliffe St Mary** Radcliffe St Thomas Rainford

Rainhill Rampside Ramsbottom Rawtenstall Reedley Hallows, Filly Close and New Laund Booth Ribby cum Wrea Ribchester** Ringley Rivington Rochdale St Chad** Royton Rufford** Rusland Salesbury Salford Sacred Trinity Salford Christ Church Salford St Bartholomew Salford St Matthias Salford St Philip Salford St Simon Salford St Stephen Samlesbury Sandowne-Park Satterthwaite Scarisbrick Seaforth Seathwaite Sefton** Shaw Shireshead Shuttleworth Silverdale Singleton Skelmersdale Skerton Smallbridge South Shore Holy Trinity Southport Christ Church Southport Holy Trinity Spotland St Helens St Michael on Wyre** Stalmine Stalybridge New St George Stalybridge Old St George Stand Standish** Staveley Stidd Stockton Heath Stretford St Matthew Sutton Swinton St Peter Tarleton** Tatham** Tatham Fells Thornton Thornton in Lonsdale Tockholes Todmorden Tonge Tonge cum Alkrington Torver Tottington Tottington Higher End Toxteth Park Toxteth Park St Clement Toxteth Park St James Toxteth Park St John the Baptist Toxteth Park St Michael Toxteth Park St Thomas Trawden Tunstal** Turton Tydesley cum Shakerley Ulverston Holy Trinity Ulverston St Mary** Unsworth Upholland Urswick** Walmersley Walmsley Walney Walsden Walton le Dale Walton on the Hill St Mary** Walton on the Hill St Mary, Edge Hill Walton Breck Wardle St James - see also Hundersfield Wardleworth St James Wardleworth St Mary Warrington Christ Church Warrington Holy Trinity Warrington St Elphin** Warrington St Paul Warton (near Kirkham) Warton (near Lancaster)** Waterhead Wavertree Holy Trinity Weeton Werneth West Broughton West Derby St Mary West Houghton Westleigh St Paul Whalley** Whitechapel Whitewell Whittington** Whittle le Woods Whitworth Wigan All Saints** Wigan St Catherine Wigan St George Winwick** Withnell Witton Woodland Woodplumpton Much Woolton Worsley Worsthorne Wray Wyresdale Yate and Pickup Bank Yealand

See the "Parish" (or Chapelry) page for each ancient parish and/or chapelry; then scroll down to "Church Records" to view charts with links top available years for online data content.

At least three major websites are currently indexing or transcribing Lancashire's chapels and parish registers. These include:

1. Lancashire Online Parish Clerk (OPC) project - 8 million [OPC Project aims to extract and preserve the records from various parish and provide free online access to the transcriptions. To learn more visit their site.] Be certain to search this website first, and with those listed below. If an ancestor's name isn't found here, then try the others. In addition, this website holds many Nonconformist register transcriptions, compared to Ancestry, currently-speaking.

2. FamilySearch.org - 16.5-plus million entries of CMBs from Church of England and Noncoformist registers.

3. Ancestry.co.uk - currently scanning and indexing parish and chapelry registers - ~8 million

The Lancashire Record Office in Preston, Lancashire, England has a listing of Deposited Parish registers:

The Lancashire Record Office Deposited Church Records listing Please access this link for Church Record Information

Manchester City Archives & Local History holds most of the Greater Manchester church registers, which Ancestry.co.uk is currently digitising (and transcribing) and placing online.