Church Kirk

"CHURCH-KIRK, a parochial chapelry in the parish of Whalley, in the lower division of the hundred of Blackburn, in the county of Lancaster, 4 miles E. of Blackburn. It includes the townships of Church, Oswaldtwistle, and Huncoat, and is intersected by the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and by the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway. Oswaldtwistle adjoins the township of Blackburn, on the E. side; Church being 4 miles, and Huncoat 6 miles distant on the E. from that town. The population has trebled in the last half century, and is still rapidly increasing, being now 13,000. The principal manufactures are cotton spinning, calico printing, dyeing, and chemical works. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Manchester, and was formerly in the patronage of Lord Howe, whose family obtained it at the dissolution of the monastery at Whalley. It was purchased afterwards by the Huhnean Trustees, who must present a clerk who has been on that foundation at Brasenose College, Oxford. The value is £430 per annum, with a very beautiful residence. The church, usually called Church Kirk, is dedicated to St. James, and though a plain building, is very commodious, seating 1,300 persons. It has a very old castellated tower, with two bells. The body of the church was rebuilt and enlarged in 1802, and is now (1863) about to undergo a further enlargement, and improvement in its architectural appearance. A school-room, capable of holding 400 scholars, was erected in 1828, but this was superseded in 1861 by a new one to accommodate 900. In the township of Oswaldtwistle there is a district church, in the patronage of trustees; also schools connected with the church. To each of the Dissenting places of worship (six in number) schools are attached.