FACTUAL REPORT PRODUCED BY THE BLACKBURN DIOCESE VACANCY IN SEE COMMITTEE October 2012 1|Page
CONTENTS Lancashire ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Population ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Interfaith ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Economy ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Employment ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Unemployment .................................................................................................................................. 8 Deprivation ........................................................................................................................................ 8 The Diocese ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Parishes ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Schools ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Links................................................................................................................................................ 10 Clergy.............................................................................................................................................. 10 Blackburn Cathedral ....................................................................................................................... 12 Whalley Abbey ................................................................................................................................ 12 Staffing ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Attendance ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Mission Action Planning and Leading your Church into Growth ..................................................... 16 Tradition .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Mothers’ Union ................................................................................................................................ 18 Cursillo ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Finance ........................................................................................................................................... 19 Appendix 1 ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Note 1 ............................................................................................................................................. 24 2|Page
Lancashire The Diocese of Blackburn is in the north‐west of England, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the west and surrounded by Carlisle, Bradford, Wakefield, Manchester and Liverpool dioceses. There are coastal plains to the west and the foothills of the Pennines to the east. Transport links are good with the west coast mainline London to Glasgow railway running through Preston and Lancaster and the M6 motorway following roughly the same route. The M55 runs west to Blackpool and the M65 skirts Blackburn and runs eastwards to Colne. Blackpool Airport is in the diocese and there is easy access to Liverpool and Manchester Airports. There are several large centres of population with attractive countryside between them with many small towns and villages. The main rivers are the Lune and the Ribble which flow out into Morecambe Bay. The boundary of the diocese is virtually coterminous with the geographic county of Lancashire; that is the administrative county plus the Unitary Districts of Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool. There are some slight variations: to the south west a large part of West Lancashire District is excluded (Diocese of Liverpool); to the south and south east of the diocese, an area of Greater Manchester – Borough of Wigan – is included in the Diocese and parts of the Borough of Rossendale are excluded (Diocese of Manchester); and to the north east small parts of both the Ribble Valley and Pendle Borough are excluded (Diocese of Bradford – though this is open to change with the re‐drawing of the Yorkshire Diocesan boundaries). 3|Page
Population The total population of the Diocese is around Population by gender and age group
1.3 million. The age profile varies from the 400000
national average with a 350000
greater proportion 300000
aged over 45. There is diversity however: in 250000
Blackburn with Men
200000
Darwen, Lancaster and Women
150000
Preston, at least two out of five residents are 100000
aged less than 30 years 50000
whilst in Fylde and 0
Wyre half of the 0‐14
15‐24
25‐44
45‐64
65+
population is aged over 45. The general population fertility level is low across the sub‐region and, as such, it is not surprising that demographic projections indicate changes in the population structure with fewer young people and greater proportions of older people by 2033. Overall, the population is expected to grow by around 7.8%, well below the national growth rate of 18%. An ageing population brings a range of considerations for health and social care services. Population by District Population Change 1961 ‐ 2010 Percentage change
100
80
60
The population change
with regard to
individual districts
shows some marked
differences; the more
deprived areas
showing the greatest
drop in the population.
40
20
0
‐20
4|Page
Population by ethnicity For the 14 local authority areas in Lancashire, there is a higher percentage of people from a white ethnic background (90.9%) than is the average for England (87.5%) and the great bulk of these are "White British." Aside from these, the most significant ethnic group is "Asian or Asian British" who comprise 6.5% of the resident population, a proportion marginally above the national average. All other broad ethnic groups have a lesser representation in Lancashire than nationally. At district level, five of the Lancashire local authorities record small proportions of black or minority ethnic (BME) populations representing less than 5% of their total resident population. In West Ward Based Ethnic Minorities (2001 census)
Lancashire the BME population is just over 3%. It is only in Preston and four of the East Lancashire districts where there is a notable percentage of residents in the BME groups greater than 10%. Of these, only Blackburn (with 23.2% BME), Pendle (16.9%) and Preston (15.5%) have proportions of their populations from BME ethnic groups greater than the average for England of 12.5%. Recent changes have seen a growth in Eastern European immigration into all districts and a steady increase in the Asian heritage minorities both in the established areas and in the wards surrounding them. 5|Page
Interfaith The demographic map shows the distribution of a lower than average BME community. The 2001 census produced Faith figures for the Diocese, which demonstrates that the most numerous non‐Christian faith is are Islam. Christian Buddhist Hindu Jewish Muslim Sikh 975,287 1,227 1,955 5,540 Other Religion 65,116 1,227 2,280 From the demographic map it is apparent that the faith mix is not evenly spread across the Diocese and that there are some areas of high other faith population densities. The Borough of Blackburn with Darwen has 20% of its population practising the Muslim faith. This is the 3rd highest percentage in the country and the largest outside London. The majority of the Muslim faith residents are of Indian sub‐continent origin; mainly Pakistan with some Bangladesh. There are 28 parishes which fall within the official Presence and Engagement criteria (at least 10% of one other faith or 25% of more than one other faith), with a further 10 parishes likely to be added since the 2001 census. The Diocese has a Presence and Engagement strategy which encompasses all who are willing to engage with it – not relying on the strict criteria (a coalition of the willing). There are links with the other faiths built upon Lancashire Council of Mosques (and other mosques not affiliated to LCM); Hindu Gujarat Centre in Preston, and individuals from other faiths. The main Islamic groups are: Deobandi and Bareilvi with a small representation of Salafi and Maudoodi. There are only three known Sufi mosques. The Hindu population is centred on Preston and the west of the Diocese and the smaller Jewish community is again in the west. Economy Textiles once provided as much as 80% of all employment in the towns of Lancashire but the 20th century contraction has seen the almost total collapse of the industry with one or two minor variations. During WW2 major expansion took place in the area, under government direction, of the munitions, chemical and aero engineering sectors. With the removal of some of the munitions work, there has been some drop off in employment in the sector. However, there has been a considerable growth in the high‐end aerospace engineering sector and also in the nuclear sector – both specialised engineering areas. 6|Page
Whilst the majority of the Diocese has shown economic growth over time (less than the national average and the northwest average), Blackpool stands out as the only area which has consistently declined since 2001. Agriculture, hunting and forestry, fishing
Gross Value Added 2008 £m
Public administration and defence
Fishing
Health and social work
Mining and quarrying
Other
Manufacturing
Electricity gas and water supply
Education Construction
Real estate, renting and business activities
Financial intermediation
Wholesale and retail inc motor
Transport, storage and communication
Hotels and restaurants
Employment There are a number of large major employers in the Diocese: Local Authorities, NHS, BAe and Westinghouse Springfields (Nuclear). 90% of businesses are small with over half of them less than 10 years old and with fewer than 10 employees. Whilst manufacturing accounts for the largest share of the employment spectrum, the service industries together employ around 80% of the workforce; and specialisms in the sector are in low wage industries. Whilst the population is centred on the urban belts, central, eastern valleys and coast, there are large areas of the Diocese which are rural in nature. Most of the area within the Diocese is livestock and dairy farming, with some high quality field vegetables in the southwest. 7|Page
Unemployment The May 2012 claimant count figures show an unemployment rate below the national and northwest average (5.1% compared with 6.2% for the northwest and 5.3% nationally). Three local authority areas, Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen and Preston are all above these averages. The rural areas and some of the coastal strip have such low claimant count rates that the overall figure is dramatically reduced. Parts of Blackpool have claimant count rates under 3%, and some rural areas under 1%. Lancaster, Wyre, South Ribble, Chorley, Fylde and Ribble Valley are all below the average for the Diocese. Deprivation Overall deprivation is acknowledged to be high in the Diocese. Only two deaneries have no parishes in receipt of assistance with their parish share because of deprivation. 24% of the parishes are in the ‘worst’ 10% nationally for overall deprivation Seven of the 14 local authorities in Lancashire are in the most deprived 30% in this country, with the gross median wage some 8% lower than the national average and 25% of children live in families below the poverty line. Of these, Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley and Pendle all had 30% or more of their Lower Super Output Areas (LSOA) in the 10% most deprived in the country. These four Lancashire authorities recorded the 10th, 12th, 13th and 19th highest proportions out of 326 local authorities in England. It is estimated that around 30% of the adult population in Lancashire have no formal qualifications and a further 37% only have qualifications equivalent to National Vocational Qualification level 2 or less (i.e. less than 5 GCSE at A* to C). The proportion of adults in Lancashire with level 4 qualifications (ie equivalent to first degree level) is below the national average. However, as with children and young people, the level of attainment is strongly linked with deprivation and Fylde and Ribble Valley, for example, have rates of level 4 qualification attainments well above the national average. 8|Page
The Diocese The Blackburn Diocese is sometimes called ‘the Church of England in Lancashire’ as the borders of the Diocese and County are virtually the same. It has also been called ‘England in miniature’ as its social and geographical characteristics echo the variety of the country. Our communities range from cities to secluded villages; scenery from a varied coastline to high moors; and homes from traditional mill terraces to expanding new build estates. The Diocese was founded in 1926 by the then Bishop of Manchester, William Temple, who was concerned to emphasise Christian pastoral support for the expanding cotton towns. This was underlined by transforming the parish church at the centre of Blackburn into Lancashire’s Anglican cathedral. Today the 226 Church of England parishes include many members of other world faiths. Mosques are well established in East Lancashire, Preston’s places of worship include a large Hindu temple, and Chorley has the second Mormon Temple in England built in 1992, with a total floor area of 69,630 square feet. Academic progress has seen three universities established in the county in the last 50 years, Lancaster University, University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and Cumbria University. The University of Cumbria is a church established university, the Lancaster campus previously being the site of St Martins College, established as a teaching college in 1964. The total student population is over 55,000. Industries as diverse as engineering and tourism retain important places in the regional economy. Christian care for changing populations includes the largest number of aided schools in England, besides chaplaincy work in prisons, schools, hospitals and universities. Expanding educational chaplaincy, alongside new directions in Christian social care and developing interests in Christian dialogue, provide examples of how a changing Church establishes mission priorities for changing societies. Parishes The Diocese has 226 parishes with 176 benefices. These include 247 churches and 28 mission buildings in the 14 deaneries of the Archdeaconries of Blackburn and Lancaster. Blackburn Archdeaconry: Accrington, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Chorley, Leyland, Pendle, and Whalley Lancaster Archdeaconry: Blackpool, Garstang, Kirkham, Lancaster and Morecambe, Poulton, Preston, and Tunstall 9|Page
Listed places of worship total 152 of which 14 are grade 1, 98 are grade 2* and 40 are grade 2 Enacting Resolutions A and B in the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993 and Petitioning the Diocesan Bishop in accordance with the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod 1993 (“Resolution C”) The number of parishes that have voted on the Resolutions are as follows: Resolution A 35 parishes Resolution B 63 parishes Resolution C 12 parishes Schools Church of England schools total 186, including 4 jointly with the Methodist Church. There are 7 Academy schools (5 secondary and 2 primaries). Voluntary Aided schools total 149 primary and 9 secondary. Voluntary Controlled schools total 23 primary and 1 secondary. Ofsted inspections rate 19.3% as Outstanding, 54.1% Good, 23.7% Satisfactory and only 2.9% inadequate. There are 36,288 primary pupils and 10,376 secondary pupils giving a total of 46,663 in Church of England education across the diocese. Links There are particular links with: The Diocese of Carlisle in sharing the Lancashire and Cumbria Theological Partnership (LCTP) and also our HR Manager The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Braunschweig which consists of around 400,000 members in over 400 parishes and 13 deaneries between Wolfsburg and Bad Harzburg, Peine and Helmstedt, and in the enclaves Calvörde and Blankenburg (Sachsen‐Anhalt). The link between the diocese of Blackburn and the Free State South Africa (formerly known as Bloemfontein) is the oldest Companion Link in the Anglican Communion. The link became official in November 1964 although there is reference to a Mothers' Union link as far back as 1948. The link is very active despite the limitations imposed upon us by distance. People regularly visit each other; there is a constant flow of prayer and a number of very strong parish to parish links. Clergy The Diocese of Blackburn is served by a diocesan bishop, two suffragan bishops and two archdeacons. 10 | P a g e
The Dean of the Cathedral is supported by 4 residentiary canons, one of whom is also the Diocesan Director of Ministry and employed by the DBF. Our 176 benefices are supported by both clergy and lay personnel as follows: Total Male Female
Stipendiary Incumbent/Priest in Charge 144
128
16
Stipendiary Curates 25
18
7
Church Army Officer 1
1
0
Ordained Pioneer Ministers 2
2
0
Self‐Supporting Ministry Incumbents 6
6
0
Self‐Supporting Ministry House for Duty 5
3
2
Self‐Supporting Ministry Curates 46
21
25
Retired Clergy with Permission to Officiate 188
Readers 225
Pastoral Assistants 216
Licensed Lay Workers 21
In addition, there are 24 ordinands in training made up as follows: Stipendiary 15
Self‐Supporting Ministry 9
Of these, 10 are at college and 14 are undergoing their training with Lancashire and Cumbria Theological Partnership. Of this current cohort of ordinands, 12 are male and 12 are female. 11 | P a g e
Blackburn Cathedral The Cathedral stands on a site of Christian worship dating from 596 AD. The current building dates from 1826 with eastward extensions dating from the late 1930’s to the final consecration in 1977. It is in good repair and seats 1,300 people. The Cathedral has a full complement of residentiary staff together with lay staff. It is well known for its excellence in music, education, community cohesion, and inter‐faith initiatives. The Cathedral community is in good heart with several large projects in train: a £3.8m Appeal for fabric, music and community work; the Development Plan to build a 21st century cloister and ancillary offices and residences (£6.7m) as its contribution to a revitalised Cathedral Quarter and emerging plans to implant a Choir School module into a local Church Academy. The Diocesan Offices, Board of Education, and Adoption Matters Northwest share two buildings in the Close and relationships are wholesome in spite of significant financial and physical pressures on the site. Whalley Abbey The long history of Christianity in Lancashire could date from Roman or Celtic times. Saxon evidence includes the 6th century chapel at Heysham and Saxon crosses at Whalley, where abbey ruins mark an important medieval monastic community. The House at Whalley Abbey is the Diocesan Conference and Retreat Centre although it caters for a wide variety of functions. Whalley Abbey, with its ruins of the 13th century Cistercian Abbey, acts historically along with Heysham, Cockerham, and Ribchester as the places of historic Christianity with the strong possibility that the ‘Apostle to the North of England’‐ the Missionary Bishop Paulinus of York ‐ preached here around AD 627. Whalley certainly has Anglo Saxon roots, and the Abbey is said to be a ‘Locus Benedictus.’ Lancashire’s relative isolation made it a continuing haven for traditional Catholicism after the Reformation in the 1530s and for radical Puritanism in the 17th century. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) grew from a vision that its founder, George Fox, received on Pendle Hill and the Society still has a visible presence in the diocese. 12 | P a g e
Staffing Cathedral In addition to the Dean and residentiary canons a number of lay staff work in the Cathedral and the full‐time equivalents are: Virgers/Housekeeping 3.5 Music 5 Catering 3.5 Administration 4 Education 0.5 Exchange 1 Cathedral Appeal 1 Gift Shop 0.5 Total
19.0 Boards of Finance and Education The Diocesan Board of Finance and Diocesan Board of Education are separately incorporated charities and companies limited by guarantee. At a meeting of the Diocesan Synod in October 2010 it was agreed that, apart from the boards and committees required by statute, all others would be disbanded and replaced by departments accountable to Bishop’s Council and Diocesan Synod. This decision was implemented in January 2011. The four departments are: Central Services Department – Department Leader, Canon Graeme Pollard, Diocesan Secretary Discipleship and Ministry Department – Department Leader, Revd Canon Sue Penfold, Director of Ministry Parish Mission Support Department – Department Leader, Revd David Banbury, Diocesan Missioner Education Department – Acting Director of Education, Canon Fred Kershaw. Although this Board is a separately incorporated company and registered charity it is included in the departmental structure. A number of ordained and lay staff work in the departments of the Boards of Finance and Education. Including 7 clergy who were previously stipendiary, but are now on DBF contracts, the full‐time equivalents are: 13 | P a g e
Diocesan Board of Finance Central Services Department Diocesan Secretary and Support Services
Finance Team
Property Team
Whalley Abbey Conference and Retreat Centre
Suffragan Bishops’ and Archdeacons’ Secretaries
Total
5.3 4.2 3.0 15.3 1.6 3.7 3.0 7.7 43.8 Total
1.0 2.0 1.0 7.5 7.0 18.5 Discipleship and Ministry Department Parish Mission Support Department Mission Officers
Social Responsibility Officers including Projects Diocesan Board of Education Acting Director Assistant Directors – Schools and Children’s Work Schools Adviser Youth and Children’s Chaplains and Officers Administration and Secretarial The above figures full‐time equivalents and are based on the reports and accounts of the Diocesan Board of Finance and the Diocesan Board of Education for the year to 31 December 2011. Attendance The diocese has traditionally had a strong church membership in relation to other parts the Church of England. National statistics show that in 2010 Blackburn Diocese had: Electoral Roll 32,800 (2.52% of the total population). This is a reduction of around 12% since 1996, but in 2010 the 14th highest of all dioceses, 3rd highest in the province of York Average Weekly Attendance 22,100 adults and 6,700 children (combined attendance = 2.22% of the total population) Easter Day 35,500 (2.73% of the total population) Christmas Day/Eve 42,200 (3.25% of the total population) Baptisms/Thanksgivings 4,100 (14th highest of all dioceses) Confirmations 1,264 (3rd highest of all the dioceses) 14 | P a g e
In relation to regular attendance our own analysis shows that in 2004 the decline in Usual Sunday Attendance (USA) attendance was ‐700 on the previous year for adults and children. Through a number of initiatives, this rate of decline has reduced to ‐130 and children’s attendance has grown. Also the midweek attendance shows a decline of ‐250 in 2005 compared to the previous year, but as can be seen below is now growing. We estimate that the attendance on a Sunday by gender is 65% female and 35% male. These figures change slightly for midweek attendance to 70% female and 30% male. 15 | P a g e
Further analysis indicates that the age ranges are as follows: Sunday Midweek Attendance Attendance Under 12 15% 12% 12‐16 6% 5% 19‐34 10% 7% 35‐54 20% 12% 55‐70 27% 33% 70+ 21% 31% Unfortunately, we do not yet have any comparative information in order to identify trends. Mission Action Planning and Leading your Church into Growth There have been two main initiatives in the diocese over the past 6 years, which have contributed to supporting the attendance figures – Mission Action Planning (MAP) and the Leading Your Church into Growth (LyCiG) course. Mission Action Planning (MAP) Bishop Nicholas introduced the idea of MAP in 2004 ‐ initially to a small team that was set up to encourage mission activities in local churches. Soon after this, a MAP team was set up to propose an overall MAP for the diocese and to publicise MAP at the Primary Visitations in 2005. All churches were invited to write a MAP during 2005, with help from various booklets and, if requested, the diocesan missioner and a group of trained consultants. Some 85% of churches responded by sending a copy of their first MAP to the Bishop, who replied with comments, and a suggestion to update their MAPs annually. After seven years, MAP is in the bloodstream of the diocese, and has had a positive impact on Sunday and weekday attendance, especially in those churches that followed the MAP process closely. Analysis indicates that parishes that take MAP principles seriously (with prayer, vision, priority setting, and ongoing review) grow. 16 | P a g e
Leading Your Church into Growth (LyCiG) In 2005, those responsible for directing mission and ministry in the diocese were looking for a suitable training programme to support clergy and church leaders as they worked on their MAPs. After a search, it seemed that the national four day course “Leading your Church into Growth” (LyCiG) matched the needs. At that time, clergy who had experienced growth in a variety of contexts, and who were from a range of traditions led LyCiG. A small team from the Bishop’s MAP group attended a course as a trial, and confirmed that it was indeed a good match to our MAP process, but there were practical difficulties in offering the course to all clergy within a year or two. However, the team negotiated a way to run the courses in‐house, with support from the national team. Bishop Nicholas personally invited all clergy to attend the course – funded by the diocese. Within three years, over 120 clergy had attended the course. Looking back at church attendance trends, it can be seen that LyCiG has had a very positive impact. The challenge for the future is how to maintain this and ensure that more local church leaders have access to the training course. Analysis indicates that, compared with those who did not attend the course, after 1 year churches showed the above percentage change in attendance. Tradition The Diocese of Blackburn is of course varied and whilst it is problematic to define tradition in relation to 2009 figures our Mission Advisor (evangelical) and Bishop’s Chaplain (anglo‐ catholic) produced the following: Tradition – % of Churches Tradition – Total Sunday Attendance % Anglo‐
Catholic
27%
Evangel
ical
21%
Middle
52%
Of course this is subjective but it seeks give an overview which may have changed over the past couple of years but we do not expect this to be signicantly so. Anglo‐
Catholic
24%
Evangeli
cal
29%
Middle
47%
17 | P a g e
When Blackburn Diocesan Synod voted on the General Synod Section 8 Motion relating to Women in the Episcopate the result was: House of Bishops For 1 Against 3 House of Clergy For Against Abstention 36 34 0 For Against Abstention 33 30 4 House of Laity A following Motion was proposed: “that this Synod: 1. desires that all faithful Anglicans remain and thrive together in the Church of England and therefore calls upon the House of Bishops to bring forward amendments to the draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure to ensure that those unable on theological grounds to accept the ministry of women bishops are able to receive Episcopal oversight from a bishop with authority (ie ordinary jurisdiction) conferred under the Measure rather than by 2. delegation from a Diocesan Bishop.” The result of the vote was: For 79 Against 55 Abstentions 0 Mothers’ Union There are currently 4,411 members of the Mother’s Union in 167 branches in Blackburn Diocese. This is the largest membership in any diocese outside Africa. Every deanery has branches, ranging from 4 branches in Tunstall Deanery to 16 branches in Chorley Deanery. The smallest parish branch is St Peter’s in Accrington Deanery ranging up to Christ Church and St Chad’s in Poulton Deanery which each have 83 members. Whilst not unique but unusual there is also a branch based at Blackburn Cathedral with 20 members. Out of the total membership there are 254 indoor members, mainly the elderly or those with no local branch to attend, and 214 members with children under the age of 20 living at home. There are 23 male members, including 10 members of clergy. 18 | P a g e
Cursillo Blackburn Diocese has a strong Cursillo movement with about 600 members and in 2013 it will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its establishment in this Diocese. Cursillo is organised through a Pastoral Plan which is approved by the Diocesan Bishop. It is a renewal movement within the Church which seeks to help practising Anglicans deepen their faith and commitment within their parishes. Blackburn Diocese also has a thriving Happening Organisation, which is Cursillo for teenagers. In both cases, weekend events are held at Whalley Abbey and follow‐up meetings are held 6 times a year throughout the Diocese. In addition there are small local groups who meet regularly. Finance In relation to finance, the diocese does not have historical reserves as some other dioceses do and, as such, relies heavily on the generosity of those who attend our parish churches and contribute to the costs of mission and ministry locally and across the whole diocese. National figures show unrestricted direct giving to PCCs in 2010 totalled £8.6m and averaged £5.05 per week per electoral roll member, of which 65% was tax efficient. There were some 13,500 tax efficient subscribers to PCCs in 2010 contributing on average £8.15 per week (33rd of the 43 dioceses). The figures also show that unrestricted recurring income to PCCs in 2010 was some £14.1m and recurring expenditure was £15.6m. In Blackburn Diocese Parish Share is calculated on a formula basis comprising of a fixed cost, a variable cost based on attendance and a percentage increase or decrease between 125% and 70% depending on deprivation information. The overall sum requested in 2012 is £8.5m, a 0% increase on 2011. Significant effort has been made to keep increases in parish Share to a minimum over the past few years as the following table shows: Increase on Year Previous Year 2012 0.15% 2011 ‐2.00% 2010 3.90% 2.92% 2009 For 2013, the Diocesan Synod has approved an increase of 0% in the Parish Share budget. 19 | P a g e
The payment of Parish Share is always a challenge, especially in difficult economic times and, in 2011, the payment amounted to 91% of that requested. The diocese has for many years budgeted for below 100% payment and within its budget in 2012 provides for a payment rate of 92.5%, but this of course puts added challenge and pressure on the parishes that contribute in full. At its meeting in October, the Diocesan Synod, as well as approving a zero increase in the overall Share budget for 2013, has reduced the expected Share collection rate to 91.5%. This recognises the long term impact on parishes of the economic downturn begun in 2008. Stewardship and Christian giving continues to be promoted and remains a priority. 20 | P a g e
Appendix 1 The Diocese of Blackburn: historical background to the early 20th century The area now known as Lancashire was part of the territory of a loose confederation of ancient Celtic tribes, the Brigantes, predominantly agriculturalists, who only came together for ceremonial purposes or to form guerrilla armies in time of war. As the Roman invaders gradually penetrated north, a treaty was made with the Queen of the Brigantes, and the first forts were constructed in the North West at Ribchester and Carlisle around AD 72, followed by those at Kirkham and Lancaster. Following the Roman withdrawal in the 4th century, a Romanised British people remained, known as the “Cumbri”, with King Rheged ruling a kingdom stretching from Scotland through present‐day Cumbria to the River Ribble. This was subsequently absorbed into the Kingdom of Northumbria, with lands to the south held by the Kingdom of Mercia. By the 7th century, a mixed Anglo‐Saxon culture had emerged with the arrival of immigrant Scandinavian peoples, many thrown out of Ireland. By the middle of the 7th century, these Anglo‐Saxon peoples had begun to convert to Christianity. Around 670, St Wilfrid’s Abbey at Ripon was granted lands along the Ribble, probably including Preston. (“Preston” literally means “place of the priest(s)”, and may have been a religious centre earlier, with other early churches at Walton‐le‐Dale and Leyland.) Around 680 AD, Cuthbert began a ministry in Cartmel in the southern Lake District (part of the lands that would eventually become Lancashire). Tradition has it that Patrick landed at the chapel in Heysham that bears his name, though these ruins date from the late 8th century. Legends that Augustine or Paulinus preached in Whalley or nearby are not supported by evidence. Scandinavian raids over two centuries led to settlements which contributed to the prosperity of the region in the 9th century, with many Norse immigrants converting to Christianity. Many Christian churches existed well before the Norman Conquest, and there was a well‐established parochial system in place by 850 AD, with the Parish of Whalley already the second largest in England, encompassing 45 townships. The many crosses and carvings (such as at Whalley, Heysham and Slaidburn) from the 9th and 10th centuries also evidence a wide Christian presence during this period. The formal boundaries of what came to be known as the County of Lancashire were set down around 1090, when these lands were granted to the de Poitou family by William the Conqueror, with Lancaster as its headquarters. The Norman period saw significant monastic foundations. In 1094, Roger de Poitou established a Benedictine priory at Lancaster, on the site of a 6th century Saxon church. In 1124, Stephen, later King of England, gave land at Tulketh, near Preston, to the Abbot of Savigny, but in 1127 they left this site for the well‐provided site in Furness. Another Cistercian house, the Abbey of Stanlow in Cheshire, moved to Whalley in 1296. (See Note 1 for a fuller list of Lancastrian monastic houses.) In 1267, Edmund Crouchback, son of Henry III, was created the first Earl of Lancaster, with the Earldom raised to the status of a Dukedom with palatine powers in 1351. In 1362, John of Gaunt became Duke of Lancaster. His son’s first act on claiming the throne as Henry IV was to declare that his Lancastrian inheritance should be held separate from other possessions of the monarch. This was confirmed in 1461 by Edward IV, who incorporated the inheritance and the Palatinate responsibilities under the title of the Duchy of Lancaster, and stipulated that it be held separate from other inheritances by the Kings of England. The Duchy thereafter passed to the reigning 21 | P a g e
monarchs in succession, with Queen Elizabeth II the current Duke of Lancaster. (The Duchy comprises 18,700 ha in the County Palatine and in many parts of England and Wales, and exerts some powers and ceremonial duties of the Crown in the Palatinate.) By the 16th century, Lancashire had developed 28 towns with borough status, but much of the county was sparsely populated and it remained one of the poorest counties in England, somewhat isolated from the rest of the country both by geography and through very limited parliamentary representation of ten seats (though it had not sent representatives to Parliament in over 200 years). It was the most fervently Catholic county in England during coming times of religious dissent, enforced Protestantism and Civil Wars. When Henry VIII forced the break with Rome, Lancashire’s gentry closed ranks and offered stiff resistance, protecting priests and monks after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Many Catholic families carried on celebrating the Mass in secret, while outwardly accepting Protestantism as law demanded. The establishment of 77 grammar schools in Lancashire in the 16th century promoted an Anglican‐based education system, but Catholicism remained strong. Those who could sent their children to be educated on the Continent at expatriate English schools, such as the Jesuit college of Saint Omer founded in 1593, which finally “returned” to Stonyhurst in the Ribble Valley in 1794, and continues to this day as a Roman Catholic independent school. There is evidence that William Shakespeare spent his “lost years” in the North‐West under the shelter and patronage of Lancashire recusant families, notably the Heskeths and Hoghtons. (Legend has it that it was also at Hoghton Tower that James I officially knighted “Sir Loin”) The famous trials and hanging of the Pendle Witches in 1612 arose from James I’s order to Lancashire JPs to compile a list of recusants in their areas. A by‐product of the dissolution of foundations such as Whalley was a greater dependence on wise men and women (“witches”) for medical support that had previously been available from monasteries, as well as the spiritual and moral vacuum. Alongside Anglicanism, covert Catholicism and witchcraft, Protestant sects started to thrive: in the early 17th century, Bolton became an important centre for Calvinism; by the 1620s Bury had a considerable Presbyterian presence; and in the 1640s, George Fox founded the Quaker movement in Pendle, which quickly spread across Lancashire. The English Civil Wars (1642‐59) therefore found Lancashire split down the middle, with the north and west remaining staunchly Royalist/Catholic and the remainder predominantly Parliamentarian/Protestant. Fierce battles were fought throughout the county, and many towns changed hands several times. Oliver Cromwell himself led the Roundheads in 1648 to fight the decisive Battle of Preston. Within six months of that battle, Charles I was executed, but the energies of the devoted Royalists remained uncrushed, despite vicious reprisals. In 1651, Prince Charles’ passage through the county was the signal for a general uprising, with Charles declared King at Lancaster, but the defeat of the Royalists, the execution of the Earl of Derby in Bolton, and the “Lancashire Plot” trials, left Lancashire bruised and battered in the hands of the Parliamentarians, with Royalist lands forfeited and owners punished for their loyalty to the King. The hatred and mistrust engendered between sides, the loss of public positions of authority, and the downfall of James II, embittered many Catholics in Lancashire. In the late 17th and early 18th century, Lancashire was nonetheless starting to grow economically, with the port of Liverpool and the commercial town of Manchester flourishing, and towns such as Wigan, Bolton and Bury manufacturing cotton. Less commercially successful were Preston (a 22 | P a g e
major social and legal centre) and Lancaster (a trade town with an important sea port). In religion, Lancashire still had the largest Catholic population in England outside London: some were Irish immigrants, but most were old established Catholic families. The numbers of Dissenters were growing, particularly Presbyterians and Quakers. Lancashire Catholics supplied a significant number of recruits to the Jacobite cause in both 1715 and 1745, but in 1745 they came from the middle and lower classes, where in 1715 it was many gentry. Loyalism was now much stronger, possibly because of growing industrial strength. Towns, factories and industry developed rapidly among the many small villages of central and eastern Lancashire as textile industries and mines were established. By the middle of the 19th century, Lancashire had become the major manufacturing base of Britain, fuelled by water and then steam power, and accelerated by technological advances, entrepreneurialism and commercial acumen. Growing manufacturing and mining centres drew large numbers of workers away from agricultural areas. Canals and railways facilitated the importation of raw materials and exportation of finished goods, and Lancashire cotton dominated the world market in textiles, employing around 5% of the population of England and contributing around 11% to the national economy. Unscrupulous mill‐owners amassed fortunes by exploiting workers in unregulated, unfair and unsafe conditions. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Methodism became very strong in the Lancashire mill towns, where the Methodists stressed that the working classes were equal to the upper classes in the eyes of God. The 19th century produced many Lancashire philanthropists such as William Garnett, who founded the Bleasdale Reformatory for juvenile offenders in 1857; Mrs Julia Ripley who founded Ripley Hospital as an orphanage in 1856‐74; Dr Edward de Vitre who founded the Royal Albert Hospital for young people with learning disabilities; Joseph Livesey, the temperance campaigner; and the Lancashire sugar merchant Henry Tate, who gave thousands to universities, museums and libraries, and whose art collection formed the nucleus of the Tate Galleries. Lancashire offered up many servicemen to the First World War, including whole villages and towns signing up to the Pals’ Battalions. On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 585 out of the 700 soldiers of the 11th Battalion (East Lancashire Regiment) ‐ the “Accrington Pals” ‐ were casualties (235 killed, 350 wounded) ‐ within the first twenty minutes. Many communities never recovered from the loss of a generation of young men. In 1926, at a time of great economic uncertainty and social challenge, the Anglican Diocese of Blackburn was established, two years after the formation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster. 23 | P a g e
Note 1 Monastic houses in Lancashire Barnoldswick (1147) Beaumont Grange (1130) Burscough Priory (1186) Cartmel Priory (1189) Cockerham Priory (1207) Cockersand Abbey (1184) Furness Abbey (1127) Heysham Monastery (pre‐1100) Hornby Priory (1160) Lancaster Blackfriars (1259) Lancaster Greyfriars (?) Lancaster Priory (1094) Lytham Priory (1189) Marland Grange (pre‐1212) Penwortham Priory (1104) Preston Greyfriars (1256) Sawley Abbey (1147) Staining Grange (pre‐1240) Tulketh Priory (1124‐27) Upholland Priory (1307) Whalley Abbey (1296) Wyresdale Abbey (1193) 24 | P a g e