All Saints, the parish church
A church has stood on the site of the present parish church from at least 822 AD and may have been founded by St Chad himself in the 670s. By the late 12th century it was Norman in style, but all that remains of that building are the tower doorway and part of the north wall. The chancel with its lancet windows was added in the following century together with a piscina, a sedilia and priest's door in the south wall.
In the 14th century the present nave and south aisle were constructed as was the majestic tower. The two oak chests near the north door are thought to be of this period and, not surprisingly, contained the parish and manorial records.
On the north chancel wall a 15th century mural of a bishop and acolyte was discovered during restoration in the 19th century. The medieval wall paintings were whitewashed over during the Reformation. The octagonal 15th century font with its four grotesque lions at the base is still in regular use.
During the 16th century clerestory windows were inserted and the beautiful carved timber roofs of the nave and south aisle constructed. The splendidly carved pulpit, the oak altar table and lovely silver paten were given to the church c. 1640 and are still used.
The vestry was at one time the family chapel of the Turtons, Lords of the Manor. There is a monument to the memory of Sir John Turton who died in 1707.
The chancel was restored in 1877 and the north aisle constructed a few years later. The 1882 organ was rebuilt in 1977. The tower clock was given in 1897 and St Chad's Chapel was created in 1980. It is not known when bells were first installed in the tower but there is a reference to them in 1585. They were recast as late as 1922, with a peal of eight bells.
