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St. James' Church, Dalehead
St. James' Church, Stocks-in-Bowland, 26th February 1926 Photograph from the late May Jackson collection, used by kind permission of Mrs. J. Cowking
The Fylde Water Board demolished and rebuilt St. James' Church, Stocks-in-Bowland. The last service took place in the old church on the 24th May 1936. The church and graveyard was relocated to a site higher above the proposed water level of the reservoir, although the original site was never actually flooded. It remains today as the car park at the bottom of "School Lane".
New Graveyard c. 1926 Photograph used by kind permission of Lancashire Library Service - Clitheroe
The site for the new graveyard was drained by Richard Wallbank of Halsteads. The new site was consecrated by the Bishop of Bradford on the 12th November 1926 and on 30th November a 15 year old girl from the temporary village at Hollins who had died was buried there. Some 150 bodies were exhumed during 1927 and reburied in the new graveyard, including 30 unknown bodies which were buried in a special mass grave.
The exhumations took place, as is traditional, at "dead of night" between midnight and 4am. It is reported that the workers involved in this task were well fortified with rum, but that the work was carried out with great decorum and respect for the dead. Although it was felt that it was not needed as a church as there was no longer much of a congregation, some local people expressed a wish to be buried there and so the Fylde Water Board rebuilt St. James' as a "Mortuary Chapel".
Church reconstruction Photograph from the late May Jackson collection, used by kind permission of Mrs. J. Cowking
The Water Board rebuilt the church in a similar style though it was somewhat reduced in size.
Rebuilding of Dalehead Church Photograph used by kind permission of Mr. M. Pye
Rebuilt Church at Dale Head c.1930s Photograph from the late May Jackson collection, used by kind permission of Mrs. J. Cowking
The present church was consecrated by the assistant Bishop of Bradford, William Mounsey, on the 30th July 1938. Since that time, displaced Dalehead families and other local people have continued to want to worship at St. James' Church so regular occasional services are still held there.
Dalehead Church 50th Anniversary 1938 - 1988 Photograph from the late May Jackson collection, used by kind permission of Mrs. J. Cowking
Rebuilt St. James' Church at Dalehead 2002
The graveyard is now noted for the wide diversity of plants which grow there which make it of particular interest to botanists including those from "English Nature".
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