Thursday 15th May 2025
I seem to have adopted the idea of looking for remotely located churches on the map. I wanted a quick sortie not far from home.
We are in the middle of a prolonged period of hot weather with lack of rain for farmers and general water supply making the news. For me it is all delight. No mud, shirt sleeve walking, and shorts.
Tarmac out of Galgate quickly lead to enjoyable country walking on new paths for me until I finished up with the final stretch back to Galgate on the familiar Glasson canal tow path.
The church was visited but unfortunately locked. I gleaned some history from the Internet:
"The Parish was founded in 1785 with Fr. James Foster as Parish Priest. Previously the district was served by travelling priests who usually stayed with the Dalton Family at Thurnham Hall. The first named of these priests was Rev. North who lived at the end of the sixteenth century. However, the most famous was a Rev. James Swarbrick who was well known as "The Riding Priest". He was arrested in 1715 and taken to Lancaster Castle where he was condemned as a priest. A few days before he was due to be executed the old man died in prison in 1716, possibly as a result of torture. We still have the little chalice he carried on his travels." ------ Happy days!
My italics.
From Wikipedia regarding the extant church building:
Fr. Foster’s successor, Fr. Thomas Crowe, oversaw plans for a new church. Financial support came from Miss Elizabeth Dalton, who covered most of the costs. The foundation stone was laid on March 18, 1847, and the church was consecrated on August 29, 1848. Three bishops—Bishop Browne, Bishop Briggs, and Bishop Sharples—were present at the dedication, which included a grand procession from Thurnham Hall. The final cost of the church, including furnishings, was £5,000.
