St. Mary's Parish Church
a study by
Gordon Hartley
It is believed that a church has existed on this site since around 596. The church was already dedicated to St. Mary at least from Saxon times.
A Norman church then stood on the site, as remains of this came to light when a new church was being built in 1820.
Like other medieval churches St. Mary's had chantry chapels, where priests prayed for the donors.The Walmsley and Osbaldeston families each founded them. In 1451 Thomas Stanley,2nd Earl of Derby established a chantry, which had a song or grammar school attached to it. Endowments of the Derby chantry were used to form Blackburn Grammar School, which later recived a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I.
By 1818 the church had fallen into disrepair.The last service was held on 10th November 1819 and the old church was pulled down in 1820.The tower though, remained until about 1870. John Palmer was commissioned to design a new one which was consecrated in 1826.
In 1926 Blackburn Diocese was created and the parish church became Blackburn Cathedral.
Since then various alterations and refurbishments have taken place.The most recent being the Lantern Tower.
Gordon Hartley takes us round the building, highlighting tombs and Coats of Arms, together with photographs of some of the magnificent stained glass.
A printed version of this work, which contains more information is available for consultation in the Community History Department of Blackburn Library
The chapel named on the plan as Lady Chapel was the DE RISHTON CHAPEL. It formed the South aisle of the chancel in the Parish Church. This chapel was originally given to the de Rishton family. However it appears to have been given, not to the lords themselves, but rather to the manor in which the lords lived.
When the de Rishtons owned the manor, they were buried in the de Rishton vault in the Blackburn Parish Church. Later the Talbots also had a vault in the chapel, and almost every Talbot Lord of Rishton Manor was buried there.
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