Bygone Burnley: St Peter’s Church Part Two, with historian Roger Frost MBE

Resoected local historian Roger Frost MBE shows us around the impressive interior of Burnley’s parish church, which contains several monuments to significant figures in the town’s history.

Roger said: “It really is worth coming in to see. It’s beautifully maintained and the history of the town can be told by looking at the memorials in the church.

“The 19th Century galleries were built rather than extending the church as the site was small. This increased the number of people who could attend services. The pillars were Norman pillars which were tooled down and made to look as if they were constructed in the late 15th Century.

“The church is also famous for its magnificent window behind the altar, the Master Window, named for Robert Moseley Master who was the parson from 1825 to 1855.”

Roger goes on to explain the history behind the memorial in the church to Burnley’s “most famous soldier” General James Yorke Scarlett, hero of the Crimean War Battle of Balaclava in 1854.

“As a young soldier he came to Burnley with his regiment and he was very fortunate to meet the heiress to the Hargreaves Colliery Company, Charlotte Hargreaves, and inherited a vast estate and became very wealthy.

“He was also famous as he led the Charge of the Heavy Brigade following the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade. He became very famous and was a personal friend of Queen Victoria. He lived at Bank Hall, almost in Burnley centre, and is buried in Cliviger.”

Roger also highlights the oldest grave memorial in Burnley, the grave marker of Oliver de Stansfield who was the Lord of the Manor of Worsthorne, and died in 1340.

“Oliver had one of his house at Rooley but he lived in Heasandford Hall which is still standing. The marker shows a sword. He was a Constable of the de Lacy castles in Yorkshire, namely Pontefract.”

Roger goes on to explain the significance of two prominent figures forever “looking across time” whose memorials face each other, those of Caroline Augusta Towneley Parker and Robert Parker.