OPENING OF A NEW MISSION CHURCH AT PILLING

Extracts from the Preston Chronicle of 23rd April, 1879

Pilling was all astir on Wednesday: colours were flying in various parts of the district; carriages were moving in numbers on the long winding roads; farmers with their wives and daughters, gaily dressed up, were seen in the locality; and if a stranger had inquired the cause he would have been answered, as it were, "It's th’ new church opening to-day." And so it was. A place of worship centrally situated, at any rate more convenient than any of those already in existence, has long been wanted for the people living near and upon "The Moss". The new building opened on Wednesday is a kind of auxiliary mission church. It stands upon the highest point of Pilling Moss a strange dark tract of land with a history full of curiosity and interest, situated on the western side of Lancashire, between the Wyre and the estuary of Cockerham. Many people have an idea that Pilling is a barren swampy, dim and unfruitful part of the country, worth nothing, full of the hardest headed of clodhoppers, and given up to seagulls, curlews and uncivilised turf getters. But they are mistaken. In the centre, nay all round that monotonously level region, with its long lines of white smoke, burning from heaps of peat refuse, there are busy souls contending successfully against the rude natural obstacles of a long-neglected locality, and turning the peat swamp and the wild bog into a fruitful garden. Enterprising landlords and industrious farmers have transmuted the incoherent waste, the almost chaotic imbroglio of old Pilling into a charming agricultural arena, sending its produce into the busiest markets and towns of Lancashire, and competing with the goods of more favoured places. To be sure, there are still in the district uncouth and unproductive tracts of ground patches here and there of boggy, rush-grown and heather covered land; but viewed generally, industry, with its potent alchemy has changed the scene into one of fertility and use. Meadow, pasture and arable land are visible in all directions; smiling farm houses and homesteads are dotted over its surface; a new railway will soon bring them into sharp communication with more distant localities; in the very centre of the moss the plough is busy doing its work, slowly, but well, and creating a new life in quarters which Fate seemed to have reserved for sterility and unending waste....

.....The new chapel, opened on Wednesday, stands upon what is called Eagland Hill. The first house ever erected on Pilling Moss was built here, and we believe that Mr. James Jenkinson, a venerable old gentleman, now alive 80 years of age, who laid the foundation stone of the new church on the 13th August, 1869, assisted in its construction. The church in question has been erected by subscriptions from the inhabitants and owners of property in Pilling and other benevolent persons, without any aid whatever from any church building society. The dimensions of the church are 50ft by 20ft 5in. The chancel is a semi-octagonal apse, lighted by five single light windows. A belfry surmounts the roof at the junction of the chancel and body of the building. The font is supposed to be more than 300 years old, having once belonged to the church of St. John the Baptist, erected by the abbot and monks of Cockersand for their tenantry and herdsmen at their Grange at Pilling. The altar cloth is the gift of W. F. Yates, Esq..the altar plate, linen and alms bags are the gifts of Mrs. Hornby of Dalton Hall; the lectern was presented by B. B. Gardner, Esq. of Lune Bank; the Bible and Prayer Book are the gifts of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The building is distant from the church at Pilling nearly four miles and it is more than that distance from any other church in the vicinity. It is at an easy distance for a considerable number of the inhabitants of the western portion of the townships of Winmarleigh and Nateby, who will be included in the new district when finally formed. In the erection of the church many of the resident farmers of the district named have contributed. Divine service will be celebrated in the new church liberally every Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening. There will be baptisms on the first Sunday in every month, and a morning celebration of the holy sacrament on the third Sunday in each month, on which day there will be two full services. The building which is made of brick, had a very clean, neat appearance, and owing to the elevation of its site can be seen on all sides from a very long distance.

On Wednesday forenoon, there was a procession to the new church. Those joining it consisted of clergymen, scholars &c. The processionists reached the building about eleven o'clock, shortly after which the service commenced. The building was full to overflowing. Amongst those present were the Revs. J.D. Bannister, vicar of Pilling; E. D. Bannister, who will officiate at the new church; W. Armitstead, vicar of Garstang; J.K. Turner vicar of Stalmine; H. Ware, Kirkby Lonsdale; V. F. Hammond, vicar of Drighlington near Leeds; J. C. Holme, Rawcliffe (in their surplices); J.P.Shepherd, St. Thomas's Preston and nearly all the principal residents of the Pilling district. Rev. J.K. Turner read the prayers; the Rev.V.F.Hammond and J.C.Holme read the lessons; the sermon was preached by the Rev. H. Ware. He took for his text the words "Surely the Lord is in this place". (Genesis, chap. 28, v.16).....

...A collection realising upwards of £31. was here made. Miss Bannister ably officiated at the harmonium during the service. 

At the conclusion of the proceedings, the bulk of the visitors adjourned to neighbouring houses where excellent refreshments were gratuitously provided by the farmers &c of the district.

The Rev. Mr. Hammond preached in the afternoon, when there was again a very numerous congregation.  After the service, there was a collection on behalf of the building fund.

LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION STONE OF A NEW SCHOOL AT EAGLAND HILL 

Extracts from the Preston Herald of 31st May, 1871

A short time back, we had the pleasure of recording the opening of the new Mission Room at Eagland Hill, a portion of the parish of Pilling, which was, in the recollection of the present incumbent, nothing more than a mere bay. Now it is our pleasing duty to give publicity to the proceedings connected with the laying of the foundation stone of a new school adjoining the Mission Room.

The ceremony took place yesterday (Whit Monday) and there was a large number of visitors from Preston, Garstang, Lancaster and the various villages and hamlets in the district. Divine Service was held in the Mission Room, which was crowded to excess. The sermon was preached by the Ven. Archdeacon Hornby M.A. rector of St. Michael's-on- Wyre who chose for his text Matt.vi., 10. "Thy kingdom come". As there was. a large concourse of spectators outside, the Rev. gentleman preached in the doorway of the Mission Room. He gave a practical exposition of the text in its literal and spiritual signification, and contrasted the work of the Spirit in the heart of man to that district, which had been entirely changed from sterility to productiveness. They already had schools in the parish whose fame had gone far and wide, and he hoped the new school would be so conducted that the children would be fitted for their positions in this life, and also to pass through things temporal, and finally they might not lose the things eternal.

A procession was afterwards formed to the site of the new school the clergy taking the chief vocal parts.

Amongst those present we noted the Hon. F.A. Stanley M.P.; the Ven. Archdeacon Hornby and party; Lady Eleanor Hopwood; Captain Hornby and Miss Hornby of Dalton; the Rev. J. D. Bannister, incumbent of Pilling; the Rev. E. Bannister, his son; the Rev. Wilson Pedder, vicar of Garstang Churchtown; the Rev. S. Hastings, rector of Halton; the Rev. S.C.B. Cave, vicar of Ellel; the Rev. M. Turner of Stalmine, the Rev. J. Ketton of Hutton; the Rev. R. Robinson of Chipping.

The Rev. E. Bannister having offered up prayer, the Rev. J.D. Bannister stepped forward and, addressing the Hon. F. A. Stanley, said "I have now the honour of presenting to you this little trowel as a thank offering to you for your presence on this occasion, knowing, assuredly, that we have your best wishes for the promotion of the young persons who may be brought here. It is at the same time a mark of respect to yourself as a member of a family, the name of which is a household word in every home in the County Palatine of Lancaster. I offer you this trowel in the name of the committee."

The Hon. F. A. Stanley bowed his acknowledgements and began to use the trowel which bears the following inscription:-

Presented to the Hon. F. A. Stanley, M.P. on the occasion of his laying the Foundation Stone of Eagland Hill School, Pilling. May 30th, 1871.

The Hon. Gentleman having duly laid the stone, proceeded with his speech which ended with these words;-

"It is with feelings of greatest pleasure that I have been here today, and this handsome trowel which you have been kind enough to present to me will be always of value to me, not only for its own sake but also as a reminder of a hearty welcome and a very happily spent day (Hear! Hear !).All I can say is that I wish every prosperity to the Pilling schools, and to Eagland Hill in particular." (Loud cheers followed by cries of "Stanley for ever!") The children then sang the hymn beginning 'Heavenly Father, send Thy Blessing' after which the ceremony concluded. 

THE DINNER was provided in an adjoining pavilion to about 300 persons. The viands were supplied by Mr. John Chapman of the Cattle Market Hotel, Preston, and were really of a most recherché character. The tables were elegantly set out, and elaborately adorned with choice flowers. The whole of the edibles and potables reflected the greatest credit on Mr. Chapman.

The Chair was occupied by the Hon. F. A. Stanley, M. P. and there were also present the Ven. Archdeacon Hornby, M.A., Mrs. Hornby and the Misses Hornby: Lady Eleanor Hopwood, Winwick; Miss Hornby, Dalton; Captain Hornby; Mrs. Elletson, Parrox Hall and party; Dr. and Mrs. Barton, Stalmine; Captain Thomas Wakerham, Preston formerly of Liverpool; (?) Thompson, Esq., Wavertree; R. C. Gardner, H. Gardner, W. Fort and J. Gornall, Esqrs. and the whole of the reverend gentlemen who took part in the ceremony.

The Chairman, in proposing the health of the Queen, said the toast was one which hardly required any commendation in any place in this country. Although she had been of late years secluded by deep grief from those whom formerly she used to favour with her presence, yet her endeavour had always been to conduct herself as they might expect the chief Englishwoman would always do. The toast was loyally drunk.

Other toasts followed including the Prince and Princess of Wales, The Bishop and the clergy of the Diocese and the Rev. Edward Bannister proposed the health of the Hon, F.A. Stanley. After Captain Hornby proposed the health of Rev. J.D. Bannister (who ably responded), the Hon. F. A. Stanley and party then took their departure amidst the cheers of the company and R. C. Gardner was called to the vacated chair.

The Chairman proposed "The Strangers" and highly eulogised the people who had been brought up in the neighbourhood of Pilling. He particularised Mr. Joseph Gornall, whose enterprise and industry was worthy of all praise, and likewise referred in terms of commendation to the late Mr. Preston of Ellel Grange and Liverpool, who gave £20,000 to churches to show his gratitude to a bounteous Providence. He urged them to follow the examples of these worthy men, and strongly impressed upon them the necessity of good and sound education for the people, so that England would never be degraded to the present position of France.

The toast was suitably acknowledged and the interesting proceedings shortly afterwards terminated.

The above articles were submitted by Shirley A. Robson who is the great great great great granddaughter of James Jenkinson of Eagland Hill.