The Church of All Saints, Clayton le Moors in the County of -- Lancashire --

	All Saints Church

	All Saints Church sign

"All Saints' Church, to a large extent owes its existence to John Mercer the chemist, who, deploring the absence of any place of worship for members of the Church of England, and though a Wesleyan, induced John Fort of Read and Oakenshaw to move in the matter. Mr Fort gave a site and £500, and the first stone was laid by the Rev. William Wood, vicar of Altham, 1st November 1838. Other contributers were Anne, sister of John Fort, who gave £1000 to the building fund and £1000 to the endowment fund. Messrs. Clegg, Henderson & Co. gave £120, James Simpson of Church, £100, Mrs Pickles, £50vJohn Mercer, £20 and Mrs Clegg £20. The Diocesan Society contributed £700. The architect was John Harper, son of the estate agent at Dunkenhalgh and the total cost, including school and parsonage, was something over £3000. The Church was consecrated by Dr Sumner, Bishop of Chester, 8th Oct 1840. The endowment fund amounted to £2100. The parsonage was erected before the consecration of the Church; and the school, which was intended to supply the educational needs of Clayton and Rishton vwas conveyed to trustees, 13 Nov 1841. Additional land was purchased from Joseph Barnes in 1856. Galleries were added to the church in 1852, and an organ in 1855. The church was enlarged and a chancel added in 1882, the latter at the expense of Joseph and Mary Applby. There are 840 sittings, of which 350 are free. The patronage is in the hands of 3 trustees."
{from "A History of Clayton le Moors", by Richard Trappes-Lomax.}

"Next door to All Saints Church, was the home of John Mercer{1771-1866}. He invented the process of 'Mercerisation', a process which added strength and lustre to cotton fabric, by treating with alkaline solution, prior to dyeing."
{www.grimshaworigin.org}

St Michaels Oakenshaw

The old Oakenshaw Printworks was converted to a mission room and School for St Michaels as a branch of All Saints. This mission church was at Hyndburn Bridge from 1860’s to sometime after 1911.