churchyard
The Churchyard
The church has two burial grounds, one located on the north side of Church Road, and the main one which lies to the north-west and south-east of the building.
Originally the boundary on the east side of the church was much closer to the building, but additional land was consecrated in the early twentieth century to increase the overall size of the burial ground, and Coronation Walk was created to commemorate the coronation of George V in June 1911. The walk was created by volunteer labour, linking the church and the lychgate.
The churchyard is open to all and has become a valued green space, enjoyed by many, and a rich source of local flora and fauna.
The original churchyard was a small rectangular space surrounding the original, smaller church, and as a result it is here that the oldest graves may be found. Among them is the grave of Reverend William Wignall, who was buried here in 1867 after 30 years as the church's first incumbent.
As early as 1879 however there were plans to increase the size of the churchyard, which had become crowded, and was eventually closed four years later. The lack of burial space was met by the creation of a new burial ground, not next to the church, but on the opposite side of Church Road, on land which was part of the glebe land of the then incumbent Reverend James Taylor.
A major expansion of the original churchyard next to the church took place in 1911, with the creation of Coronation Walk. This was formed on land given by Mr Tatton of Cuerden Hall, and built by large numbers of men of the parish, and was to commemorate the Coronation of George V in June 1911. A further gift of land by Mr Tatton in 1915 provided burial space to the west of Coronation Walk, and the whole extension was consecrated in June 1915 by the Bishop of Manchester.
A principal feature of the churchyard is, as in many churches, the lych gate, located at the north-western end of Coronation Walk. Installed to commemorate the centenary of the church in 1937, it was designed by ACM Lillie, and funded by the parish. Inscriptions bear the names of the incumbent at the time, Reverend WF Cook, as well as that of the first, Reverend William Wignall.
In more recent years there have been other, more modest expansions of the churchyard. In 1946 land was added to the south-east of the church, with a further piece beyond that added in 1985.
Interestingly, first took in the former coach house and stable, which had been built by Robert Townley Parker in the previous century to serve his family's attendance at church. From here the Townley Parker family would have entered the church by gateway and the southern door into the transept, and to their private pews. Unfortunately the structure was demolished in 1975 and there is little trace to be seen today.
The second piece was bought from the Central Lancashire Development Corporation on the building of the bypass road to the south of the church.
