Early History of the Church

In 1865, Zion Baptist Church Bacup, under the ministry of Rev David Davies, were concerned that there was no Baptist Sunday School between Bacup and Waterbarn. The people of Zion borrowed and raised over £1000 in the following years and work was begun on a new 'School Chapel' in 1870 at Acre Mill.

The chapel opened in October 1871 and operated as a Sunday School until 1889 when it sought permission from Zion to become an independent church in its own right.  In the 1890's a separate Sunday School was bult and the church was extended and extensively remodeled with the addition of a balcony, pews, and a choir gallery

In the 1990's the Sunday School Building was damaged in a storm and demolished. The main building was converted into a a multi-use community space.

Read the  History of Acre Mill written at the time of the Church Centenary in 1971

Memorials

In 2014 we remembered  the men of Acre Mill who lost their lives in WW1 by commisioning a new plaque.Read their stories here The ceramic poppy was donated by the family of George Schofield We have all looked at the memorial to Hannah Ashworth on the wall at the front of church, but have you ever wondered about her? Rachel Livermore has researched Robert and Hannah Ashworth's Story which is full of insights into the life of an Acre Mill family at the turn of the 19th century.

Old Photographs

About 1880	About 1900	1921
Interior 1921	1924 Cricket Team	Young Men's Self-improvement class 1912

Church Records

We have a number of original records at the church covering the period 1871-1920. These include
 

• Membership Registers
• Communion Registers
• Sunday School Scholars Admission Books
• Sunday School Scholars Attendance Registers
• Sunday School Teachers Attendance Registers
• Church Meeting Minutes
• Deacon's Meeting Minutes
• Account Books
• Plans and correspondence relating to the building alterations in the 1890's
• Bills and correspondence 1880s-1930's