A Potted History of St Elizabeth’s
How it all began...
It was 1892 when a horse drawn Church Army Mission Van arrived in Horwich and pitched a Tent at the top of Alexandra Road.
By 1893 there were meetings in a house in Alexandra Road and a house in Dale Street was acquired. The Church became known as “St Catherine’s Church Army Mission” or “Dale Street Mission” and had a Church Army Captain in charge.
In 1899 there was a shortage of Funds. St Catherine’s said they were no longer able to support the Mission. Fortunately a ‘Sale of Work’ managed to raise enough money to stop it from closing and Holy Trinity agreed to adopt the Mission Church.
The Diocese also saw the need for a church in S.E. Horwich even though it was still very rural. The cottage in Dale Street was becoming too small.
So in 1900-1902 the “Iron Church” was built on Chorley New Road near Knowlsey Grove and christened St Elizabeth’s Mission. The first Church Army Captain came in 1908 and was to stay and influence the spiritual life of the people for a further 22 years.
In 1927 the building was refurbished and inside toilets added with worn out corrugated sheeting being removed.
During 1932 the First (Church) Mission Council was elected this was viewed as a step to becoming a daughter church rather than just a mission. By 1957 the Church building had been extended, a house had been bought for the Church Army Captain and a Communion Service was now held once a month. In Sunday School there were 238 scholars, 19 teachers and 80 children who regularly attended morning services. There was still a vision for a new Church building and prospective sites included the area on the other side of Chorley New Road, at the end of Maple Avenue.
In 1962, the 60th anniversary of St. Elizabeth’s Mission Church, a site for the new Church was agreed and when the Captain left the following year the Holy Trinity Vicar decided not to ask the Church Army to replace him as the “…new church will need a curate to be in charge…”
It was 1966 on Sunday 30th January, the foundation stone was laid for the new St. Elizabeth’s Church.
In 1967 the last service was held in the old building. Former Church Army Captain Peter Taylor said
“In the past St. Elizabeth’s has striven to meet the changing times, and the new church must have the same willingness to adapt itself”
This was a phrase picked upon during planning of the recent re-order in 2005 and now our mission as we move forward in the 21st century.