Early History
In 1833 the village of Baxenden, two miles south of Accrington, Lancashire, was then part of the Parish of Altham. Altham Church with its Chapel-at-Ease in Accrington, for centuries continued to minister to the spiritual needs of an extensive chapelry. There had been no other provision with the exception of small schools in the outlying districts of Accrington (Baxenden and Green Haworth). In 1833 the Baxenden School was built through the generosity of Mr. John Pilling. It was built a little below the present church, on the opposite side of Manchester Road. It served as a day and Sunday school and place of worship until 1840. Christ Church was then built, and Baxenden became part of its Parish. Read more…
Day and Sunday Schools
After the Church and Vicarage were completed, a new school was needed. Once again Miss Pilling-Taylor was most generous, and gave a site worth £400, and a handsome donation to the building fund. At a Bazaar held in October 1878 the sum of £1,500 was raised for the new school. Mrs. H. W. Worsley-Taylor laid the foundation stone on June 7th 1879. Funds were later exhausted, and trade was bad, but the committee were determined the work should go on. Finally the money was raised and the building finished. Read more…
Memorials
It is fitting that something should be recorded about the stained glass windows in the church. The three in the chancel illustrate events in the lives of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Divine, and were executed by Messrs. Lavers, Barraud and Westlake of London. Read more…