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Lancashire Parishes in the 17th Century

The parishes of Lancashire in the late 17th century were a fragmented mishmash without apparent rationale. They varied widely in physical size and population. It is notable that the Parish of Manchester, for example, was considerably smaller than the parishes associated with lesser towns and districts of smaller size and population. Eccles parish was, at that time, equal in area to the Manchester parish, which appears on this period map as small and relatively unimportant.
Several parishes seem illogically distributed nowadays - for instance, who would think of linking Prestwich with Oldham, when they are not even in the same borough, nor ever were?
Several parishes were also physically split into different areas - Prestwich and Oldham is an example, as is Middleton and Walton on the Hill - these cover areas which are physically separated from each other with other parishes between.
Lancashire parishes also included many that are in areas no longer in the County of Lancashire - thanks largely to the redrawing of county and regional boundaries in 1973. The Cartmel and other South Lakeland parishes are now in Cumbria; Walton, Sefton and other nearby parishes are now in Merseyside.

Map of 17th Century Lancashire Parishes

Map © John Moss, Papillon Graphics 2002 - all rights reserved.

See also: Lancashire Parish Register Society

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