Queens Square, Rawtenstall
The beginning
The foundation stone was laid on 7th March 1836 by Mrs. Hoyle and on Good Friday, 1st April, the Corner Stone was laid by Master Henry Hoyle in the presence of 300 people. By January 1838 the Church was sufficiently complete to be used for public services, but it was not formally opened until Thursday 15th March. On 20th September the same year the new Church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chester, and shortly afterwards the Rev. William Whitworth was inducted as the first Vicar.
Additions
In 1853, at the cost of £120. a clock (not the present one) was placed in the Church Tower. In 1854 the Church was to small to accommodate the number of inhabitants wishing to attend and £300 was collected by subscription for the erection of the side galleries.
In 1880 it was resolved that the clock tower, then at the west end of the Church be taken down and re-erected on the south side of the Church allowing the Church to be extended westward, and that part of the north gallery be cut away to allow installation of a new organ. The organ installation was completed in April 1883 and the clock tower in September 1888.
The Parish Registers of St Mary's Church
The following Parish registers are in the Diocese Archives at Manchester Central Library and on microfilm at Rawtenstall Library.
Baptisms 1838 - 1872
Marriages 1842 - 1877
Burials 1838 - 1874
All other registers are still with the incumbent.
The Vicars of St Mary's
| Rev. William Whitworth | 1838 | - | 1847 | |||
| Rev. Henry Howarth | 1847 | - | 1869 | |||
| Rev. William Whitworth | 1869 | - | 1878 | |||
| Rev. James Morris | 1879 | - | 1894 | |||
| Rev. Percy A. Derry | 1894 | - | 1898 | |||
| Rev. Douglas S. Johnson | 1898 | - | 1905 | |||
| Rev. W. H. Finney | 1905 | - | 1913 | |||
| Rev. F. W. Argyle | 1913 | - | 1923 | |||
| Rev. T. Hunter | 1923 | - | 1934 | |||
| Rev. A. G. Lee | 1935 | - | 1946 | |||
| Rev. J. Coates | 1947 | - | 1952 | |||
| Rev. H. K. Turner | 1952 | - | 1961 | |||
| Rev. P. N. Downham | 1962 | - | 1968 | |||
| Rev. Peter Barrett | 1968 | - | 1983 | |||
| Rev. John Samuel Read | 1983 | - | 1991 | |||
| Rev. David Parkin | 1991 | - | 2007 | |||
| Rev. Martin R. Short | 2007 |
