Why the Comprehensive Lists are Important to Researchers

Lancashire ancestral research presents some of the most complex and challenging of all research problems. This is one of England's most populated counties, and by the mid-18th century it was at its height in England's Industrial Revolution. In droves, hordes of England's local populace from surrounding and far-away counties came to settle within its borders. From a basically agricultural County, Lancashire grew exponentially into England's major manufacturing centre.

As a result of its newfound population base, authorities within the Church of England were continually vigilant to assess and to devise and draw up boundary lines for its ecclesiastical parishes. For nearly a century and a half, Lancashire's civil parishes were continually being subdivided into new ecclesiastical units called Chapelries. Lancashire's former tapestry of all of its ancient parishes, instead had now become dotted three to four time's it's number, in Chapelries. Some of Lancashire's largest township parishes had as many as 30 plus Chapelries within its boundaries, for example, Rochdale parish with nearly 15 Chapelries within its parish boundaries.