National Heritage Weekend

Mid-September sees National Heritage Weekend, when people are actively encouraged to visit places of interest— often in their near locality and often ignored!

Becconsall Old Church at Hesketh Bank is worth a visit. There are many mariners whose resting place is the Ribble estuary, and a considerable number lie at Becconsall. Centuries ago a sailor's life was very perilous Ð so much so that Henry VIII ordered the Curate of Croston to cross the Marshes each year to pray for sailors. As there was no Church at Becconsall in those days, it was very much an al fresco activity; come rain or shine! When a Church was built he moved indoors.

Over the centuries his successors have carried on the work Ð the Monarch paying them £2.18s.4d. (£2.82 in modern terms!) for their trouble. Even today, on Old Church Sunday, mariners are remembered in prayers during the service there Ð and the fee is still paid (to the Rector of Hesketh Bank) by the Duchy of Lancaster for the Queen.