St Mary's Church, Tarleton

The church was built on the site of a former chantry chapel, dedicated to St Helen, founded in about 1525. In the 1530s a hermitage in the chapelyard was occupied by Hugh Dobson of the Order of St Anthony. The chapel was sold to Sir Thomas Hesketh who demolished it. In 1719, Henrietta Maria Legh of Bank Hall, donated the land on which the church was built. The building costs were met by other benefactors. Legh and her heirs held the right, with the rector of Croston's approval, to nominate the curate but patronage of the church was subsequently acquired by the rector. Additions were made in 1824, consisting of a west porch, a south gallery, and an upper stage to the tower. The church closed…

The porch incorporates a vestry and stairs leading to the panelled gallery which is supported by square fluted columns and occupies the west and south sides. At the east end are box pews created for George Anthony Legh Keck of Bank Hall while the west end has open benches. In the centre of the north side is a reading desk. The church has an octagonal panelled pulpit, an 18th-century font in the form of a simple baluster, a 19th-century cast iron stove decorated with wreaths standing on claw feet and a flagged floor. The church has no electricity but oil lamps are suspended over the aisle. It is unheated since the chimney for the stove was removed. The organ is a type of American harmonium…

The churchyard remains in use and is maintained by volunteers who also open the church to visitors on Heritage Open Days in September. An annual church service on the fourth Sunday in August is known as 'Old Church Sunday' when the service usually held in Holy Trinity Church is held in St Mary's. The tradition began when Holy Trinity opened in 1886, and the services transferred there.