Chapels and Churches
Over several hundred years the village has had a number of different places of worship. Even though Great Eccleston existed as a township long before 1066 there is no evidence of a Saxon Church, in fact the Parish Church of St Anne did not exist in Great Eccleston when it was built in 1723, it was located in Copp Chapell.
Prior to the building of this church there were at least three known chapels in the village. One was situated opposite the old post office on Raikes Road and was a Roman Catholic chapel whilst another known one was next to the White Bull at Rose cottage. this latter chapel still has an emblem above the door showing its status.
Great Eccleston Independent Roman Catholic Mission
This was set up in a thatched house in Raikes. it is believed that this house was opposite the old post office and is one of the oldest houses to still survive in the village. The house is built on four corner stones and is built out of stones and straw held together by cow dung. The original priest was William Caton. Even though the origins of the mission are lost in the mists of time there is a record in 1701 of William Caton having now been trained and ordained in rome returned to the priesthood in the mission. By 1872 the mission had moved and the house had become an outhouse.
More modern churches include
- St Mary's Catholic Church, Hall Lane - founded 1771
- Chapel Street Wesleyan Methodist - founded before 1847 now closed and developed as private housing
- Methodist Church, High Street - founded 1870 closed Twentieth Century site now developed as residential accommodation
- Hall Lane Methodist Church - built 1970
St Anne's Church, Copp
It was here that an Episcopal chapel was built in 1723 for the members of St. Michaels on Wyre Church and Kirkham Church who found difficulty (because of the distance) in attending their parish churches. The chapel was built to overlook Elswick where their chapel was not consecrated and would have made a better Chapel for this purpose.
This is the 1659 map of the area - notice Great eccleston is not mentioned showing that it did not have a church.
By 1856 we can see clearly that Great Eccleston has Copp Church and an RC Chapel
The church was built by St Michael's on Wyre but in time it became the chapel for the parishioners of many villages in Kirkham District who were far from their parish church. It was known as a Chapel of Ease. A Chapel of Ease was for those people who could not visit their Parish Church. Early maps show the Chapel had not been built in 1659 therefore it is assumed that the Chapel had been constructed in 1723 as first thought.
Bishop Gastrall wrte at the time about Elswick Chapel " which being never consecrated and in the possession of the Dissenters, it was thought more proper to build a new one there than to seize upon that."
Subjoined is a letter from John Ffrance, of Little Eccleston Hall, to William Stafford, Commissary of Richmond, and Secretary to Bishop Gastrell, called forth by sundry matters in connection with the newly completed place of worship :
" Eccleston parva, Aug. 3, 1724".
" Upon some discourse with Mr. Dixon (vicar of Kirkham) about Cop Chapell I will give you the trouble of this. When Subscriptions were desired towards building the said Chapell it was proposed and intended to be not only for the use of the Inhabitants of St. Michael's, but likewise for the use of several townships, which lye in the Parish of Kirkham, remote from their Parish Church ; and the Inhabitants' of this township (Little Eccleston-with-Larbrick) have contributed more towards the Building than those of St. Michael's, and would have erected it within Kirkham Parish, if the situation had been thought equally convenient. And likewise the person, who promised to pay the hundred pounds towards the Queen's Bounty, gave a note touching the same, with conditions in favour of Kirkham Parish.
" Before the Chapell was erected the two Vicars of the Parishes aforesaid were together, seemed to encourage our proceedings, and talked amicably and agreeably about Nomination, etc. ; but since the Chapell was built several proposals have been made to which the Vicar of Kirkham has consented, but the Vicar of St. Michael's seems to dislike them. One of the proposals was that the determination of the affair might be referred to the Bishop of Chester, whose generous offer to procure 100 towards the Endowment of this Chapell gave great encouragement to our undertaking the building thereof. Some people have refused to pay their Subscriptions on pretence that the Vicar of St. Michael's has departed from former proposals ; but we hope (if these differences could be amicably settled to the satisfaction of the neighbourhood) that not only the old, but likewise several new Subscriptions might be procured, especially if our grateful behaviour for by-past favours may continue his Lordship's Countenance and Encouragement ; and we desire you to represent the matter to him as favourably as you think it will bear."
(Signed) John ffrance.
On May 13th, 1723, in the reign of George I, a deed was drawn up arranging for three men to rent a piece of land known as Higher Cop for one peppercorn a year to build a chapel. John Ffrance, of Eccleston Hall, Eccleston Parva (Little Eccleston), William Gaulter, of Eccleston Magna (Great Eccleston) and William Turner, of Elswick. The original plan was to rent the land from Thomas Dobson from Great Eccleston but on May 14th 1723, they bought the land for £5 (£918 in today’s money – quite cheap really).
They started building the Chapel almost immediately. The chapel was a small plain brick building, dedicated to St Anne with four windows on either side and a recess at the west end for a vestry. The floor was of puddled clay, which was covered in rushes grown locally. The building was lit by tallow candles, another by product of the village.
The procession of the rush cart was an annual event when the rushes were stacked on a cart and pulled up to the Chapel. Sitting atop the pyramidal stack of rushes would have sat the rushman whose job it was to keep the rushes balanced but to do this the rushman had to concentrate and to remain sober - hence the phrase 'on the wagon'.
It was not until 1804 that the floor was flagged at a cost of £11 9s. 6d. More than the original cost of the land ! In todays money this would be £922. Records state that 32 vards of flags were used for the two 16ft. aisles and 6ft. of flags for the area in front of the Communion Table at 2s. 8d. per yard. The pews had doors, and in the body of the church was a 6ft. high stove used for heating. The stove was fired with the aid of a ladder, a job often performed during a service to the distress of the officiating minister.
There is a record to show that the gallery was part of the original structure. It certainly is not a modern addition as the clearance height is very small. A gallery was needed to increase the number that could attend the Chapel. As with many Georgian churches at the time, the three decker pulpit was in the centre of the building. Churches at Slaidburn and Whitby have a similar design. This pulpit had a clerk’s desk at the base, a reading desk in the centre, and the pulpit at the top. The outside of the chapel was whitewashed every year, and the inside walls, too, were white.
Church furnishings at the time included a communion table carved” TR 1725.” This is almost certainly the first Communion Table the church had installed or even made by the first curate, the Rev. Thomas Read. In 1818, the Kings Arms were hung in the chapel – the Arms were placed in churches where grants of money had been received from Parliament as a thank-offering for the successful end of the Napoleonic War.
A corn tithe was paid by parishioners to the Vicar of St. Michaels until 1820 when an Act of Parliament changed the law, so that a money tithe was paid instead. The money was collected annually by the churchwardens.
At that time and in many churches until quite recently people rented that pews in order to pay for repairs to the fabric of the church and to pay the income of the vicar. In 1840 single pews cost £2 10s. and double pews cost £5 to cover the cost of alterations and enlarging the chapel, paing for the vicar and the addition of a tower. During these alterations a bay was added at the east end for the Communion Table and the tower was built. In 1841 land was bought to extend the churchyard to include burial ground which was enclosed and licensed. The present “big bell” was bought in 1846 for £70 14s. 3d from the churchwardens of Kirkham Parish Church. The small bell was probably the original one used in the chapel.
On the 5th January 1849 by Order in Council at Queen Victoria’s court at Windsor, Great Eccleston, Elswick, and Little Eccleston-with-Larbrick townships were constituted a separate ecclesiastical district, known as the Parish of Copp, of which this chapel is the parochial church. The chapel became the Parish Church, a position it had fulfilled in all but name since it was built. Originally part of the large Chester Diocese, at this time Copp came under the new Diocese of Manchester, and became part of the Diocese of Blackburn when it was formed in 1927. A plaque on the left of the church records that £400 was paid in 1731 for a farm and land at Out Rawcliffe; further land was bought in Copp Lane in 1767, also for £400; in 1811 £500 was paid for land next to the Vicarage.
As with many churches at the time the services were very simple with the vicar preaching directly to the parishioners, putting the fear of God into them. Music would be free sung, ie no musical accompaniment and would probably be sung psalms from the psalter and hyms. Remember many parishioners would not be ablr to read at this time therefore hyms and psalms would be sung and read from memory.
In 1841 when 14s. was paid for a clarinet and 13s. for a bass viol. These, together with one or two violins provided the music for the church. Later a harmonium was bought, and in 1886 an organ was purchased for £160.
The modern church
Since 1967 the building has been grade II listed and carries the legacy number of 185015.
The current church was completely restored in 1884-5, although it contains remains from the 18th Century church. As with many of the local buildings in it coursed with local sandstone and has a slate roof. It also has a lower chancel, nave and south porch.
At this time a new chancel was built, the old arch widened, open pews were installed with choir stalls in the chancel. The font was moved from the body of the church to the old vestry, and a new vestry was built adjoining the chancel. The outside was transformed by building over the old structure with Yorkshire stone, and the tower was raised to 45ft. The total cost of alterations was £1,000. On the right hand side of the church is the “Good Shepherd” window, dedicated to the memory of the Rev. Charles Pakes, vicar of Copp from 1880-1907.
When the tower was built it was encased and raised in 3 stages with lancet bell openings and an embattled parapet carried on a corbel table. The south nave wall has 4 bays to east of the porch, with lancet windows. The East Window has three lancets under a round hood and was glazed in 1884. It was given by Mr. J. T. Hathornthwaite, Rector of Elphinston College, Burnley, in memory of his father who was vicar of Copp from 1841-1864.
The centre window shows the crucifixion, with St. Anne on the right and St. Thomas on the left. A prayer desk in memory of Mr Hathornthwaite, who was born at Copp Vicarage in 1845 was given by his daughter in 1922.
The chancel has one bay with paired lancets. Above the porch door, which has a chamfered surround with shouldered lintel, is a plaque inscribed
'S.A.1723'. This refers to original chapel on this site, parts of which are said to be retained within the present fabric.
The Interior has open timber roof with bolted king posts having curved braces to the principals, and with curved queen struts. The chancel roof has scissor-braced rafters. The west gallery has a front of raised panels and is carried on iron columns with foliated caps.
Gifts to the church over the years:
The brass lectern was given in 1908 by Thomas Fisher and his children in memory of his wife, Margaret, and her uncle, Robert Hankinson Williams.
The brass cross was given in 1909 in memory of Melland Robinson, by his wife.
Also in 1909 the organ was rebuilt and enlarged.
The reredos and communion table were erected in memory of the twelve men who gave their lives in the First World War; a plaque to the right recalls those who died during the Second World War.
The brass collection plates were given by the mother of Edward Lakeland WiIliams Garlick, killed April, 1917, aged 21, and Mercy E. M. Garlick, died July 1918.
The font is in memory of Dr. Thomas Fisher, who died in 1917, given by his children, while the Baptistry window commemorates the church’s bicentenary in 1923.
In 1920, ten brass hanging lamps replaced the old wall lamps in the Nave and Chancel, the Baptistry floor was tiled and the aisles covered with cork lino.
The Chancel was first carpeted in 1933, a gift from Mrs. Hogg in memory of her husband, Henry.
The Rev. A. J. King came to Copp in 1927, and was vicar there for almost 20 years. Towards the end of the Second World War, Rev. King became chaplain to the Army stationed at Rawcliffe Hall – and church parades were occasions to remember, with the uniforms and the air of pageantry.
Electric lights replaced the old oil lamps in 1933, a few months after electricity was brought to the village.
In 1936, Mrs. Jessie Parkinson organised the first Flower Queen Festival, something she then did annually for over 40 years. The festival changed several times, and for a few years was held on the vicarage lawn, but later reverted to its original form of a short service in church, the crowning of the Queen on the field, followed by maypole dancing.
A wooden seat stands outside the church, to the right of the porch. It was given in memory of John Whalley of Elswick who was churchwarden 1908-1935, and church treasurer 1913-1935. The window on the left of the church, of David with his lyre, was put in the church in 1940 by Mrs. Parker, in memory of her husband, David Thomas Parker, who was a churchwarden for 30 years and chorister for 60 years.
The Rev. Raymond Bell came to Copp in 1946. At this time small pieces of freshly cut bread were still served at the Communion Service, and the introduction of Communion wafers caused quite a stir and several raised eyebrows at such” High Church” innovations. Until this time there was only a cross on the Communion Table, then in 1951, Mrs. Bell’s sister, Miss Gladys Rushforth gave the candlesticks.
Also in 1951, a silver Communion wafer box was given in memory of E. N. J. Shawcross and silver warden staves were given by Mr. and Mrs. Jim Clarke in memory of Mrs. Clarke’s mother, Mrs. Annie Sharples.
The Ladies’ Committee in the village, donated the superfrontals and an oak cupboard (in the vestry) to keep the church linen in. In 1948 Mrs. Bell formed the Mothers’ Union.
The” Resurrection” window on the left of the church, showing Mary meeting Jesus in the garden, is in memory of the forebears of Annie Hall who worshipped in the church since it was built in 1723. Annie Hall died in 1948 and the window was put in in 1959.
The hymn-book cupboard at the rear of the church was given in 1953 in memory of Roger and Margaret Parker, of Little Eccleston, by their children.
The Rev. Joseph Hamer was vicar of Copp from 1961-1967. During that time oil-fired central heating was installed, the church was re-decorated and the chancel re-carpeted, (the carpet a gift from the Mothers’ Union).
The first choir robes – blue cassocks and white surplices – were bought in 1963 with a bequest from Miss Lillie Hutchinson, A tapestry worked by her mother, Mrs. William Hutchinson, and her sister, Miss Belle Hutchinson was donated to the church in 1966 by their descendant, Mr. Arthur Hutchinson. The tapestry shows the meeting between Moses andAaron, although there was some confusion about the subject as the costumes were not historically correct.
The desk prayer book was given in 1964 by many friends in memory of Jack Annable Woode, a sidesman at Copp. Mr. Woode and his wife, Doris, replaced the St. George flag, flown on Saints Days, whenever it became worn.
The Rev. Edward Barrett came to Copp in 1967, and in 1969 Copp Church won the Blackburn Diocese Best Kept Churchyard award, receiving an “Exceptional Merit” commendation in 1970 and again in 1971. The Church also won the Best Kept Village Church award in 1971, the year the present Day School celebrated its centenary. References to a Day School in other buildings go back to 1686 and before. Ever since the church was built it has had close ties with the school, and from 1866-1871 the school was held in the Vicarage barn.
The Rev. Alfred Blackshaw came to. Copp in 1972. The 250th anniversary year saw two important additions to Copp Church.
On March 4th 2024 the new” St. Anne” window was dedicated by the Rev. G. Gower-Jones, Archdeacon of Lancaster. It shows St. Anne with her daughter, the Virgin Mary, as a little girl. It is in memory of Miss Ellen Bradshaw, a former teacher at Copp School, and a regular worshipper at the church. A silver chalice (lined with silver gilt) and a silver patten, were dedicated on St. Anne’s Day, July 26th 2024. They are the gift of Mrs. Phyllis Dixon in memory of her parents the Rev. and Mrs. A. J. King (a former vicar of Copp).