Bank Street, Rawtenstall
Richard Whitaker of Balladen wrote in his "Register Book", "December 11th 1757. Chapel at Rattenstall was opened. First sermon preached in it from Psalm 27 and 4 Verce by your servant for Jesus' sake, Richard Whitaker". The first entry in the "Register" is dated May 2nd, 1757 which indicates that there was a settled minister and congregation in existence earlier in that year. This church was built at The Fold, which was then the centre of Rawtenstall village. Richard Ingham was succeeded as minister in 1782 by John Ingham and it was this long ministry that the congregation changed from the extreme Calvinism to Unitarianism. During this period there was bitter controversy between the two faction which was so fierce that on one occasion the church doors were locked for fear of the consequences if the two parties had met. The congregation continued to grow through the early and mid eighteen hundreds and it was decided to build a new church on land which was given, along with a contribution of £500, by Mr. Richard Lord of Bank House. The new church was opened on Sunday 2nd October 1853.
In 1967 the town inner relief road - St Mary's Way - was constructed from Queens Square to Tup Bridge and the cutting of the banking lead to the structure of the church being severely weakened and by July 1968 it was so bad that the church was closed. From then until a new but smaller building was constructed on the same site the congregation met a various location around town including Rawtenstall Conservative Club. The new church held its first service on 25th September 1971.
By 2017 the church infrastructure was begining to deteriorate, with leaking water pipes severely damaging parts of the ground floor.
With the help of a £350,000 grant from the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry a six month project was undertaken to restore the church to its former glory.
The existing pulpit and organ were taken out and new ceilings, internal doors and a new kitchen have been put in along with disabled access being installed. The church reopened in October 2017.
