Newchurch in Pendle is a village in the
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
of
Goldshaw Booth
Goldshaw Booth is a civil parish in the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. It has a population of 248, and contains the village of Newchurch in Pendle and the hamlets of Spen Brook () and Sabden Fold (). Pendle Hill lies to the north.
Th ...
,
Pendle,
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
, England, adjacent to
Barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley p ...
, to the south of
Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill is in the east of Lancashire, England, near the towns of Burnley, Nelson, Colne, Brierfield, Clitheroe and Padiham. Its summit is above mean sea level. It gives its name to the Borough of Pendle. It is an isolated hill in the P ...
. It was formerly part of
Roughlee Booth until its transferral in 1935.
History
Famous for the Demdike family of
Pendle witches
The trials of the Pendle witches in 1612 are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and some of the best recorded of the 17th century. The twelve accused lived in the area surrounding Pendle Hill in Lancashire, and were charged ...
who lived there in the 17th century. Newchurch used to be called 'Goldshaw Booth' and later 'Newchurch in Pendle Forest', however this was shortened to 'Newchurch in Pendle'.
St Mary's Church at the centre of the village is steeped in history. The church is not easily visible from the road, as it lies on the downward side of a steep hill, with a row of houses at the top and the primary school, St Mary's Church of England School, to the side. There was a
chapel of ease on this site in 1250 and a later chapel was dedicated in 1544. The tower, although restored, is the only remaining part of that building.
The current church was probably built in the 17th century, it was only completed in 1740. The "
Eye of God" is built into the west side of the tower as a deterrent from evil spirits. To the east of the porch, up against the south wall, is the grave of a member of the Nutter family (carved with a
skull and crossbones
A skull and crossbones is a symbol consisting of a human skull and two long bones crossed together under or behind the skull. The design originated in the Late Middle Ages as a symbol of death and especially as a ''memento mori'' on tombstones.
...
). Local legend has it that it is the last resting place of Alice Nutter, one of the famous Pendle witches. However, executed witches were not normally buried in consecrated ground, and the skull and crossbones is a common ''
memento mori'' device used to remind onlookers of their own mortality. So it can be fairly confidently asserted that the legend is in fact a myth. Every August, since 1949 the ancient ceremony of
rushbearing has been performed. There is a procession around the village and the new Rushbearing Queen is crowned, followed by a service of thanksgiving in the church.
See also
*
Listed buildings in Goldshaw Booth
Goldshaw Booth is a Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Borough of Pendle, Pendle, Lancashire, England. It contains 14 Listed building#England and Wales, listed buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England. Of th ...
External links
Witches Galore Shop and Tearoom—the only shop in the village*
{{Authority control
Towns and villages in the Borough of Pendle
Forest of Bowland