Preston England Temple

The Preston England Temple stands on a 15-acre site on the northern edge of Chorley, 10 miles south of Preston in Lancashire. It is the 52nd operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the second built in Great Britain. The temple has a single spire and a modern classical design with Olympia white granite from Sardinia. Its exterior includes a zinc roof and an angel Moroni statue atop the spire, known locally as a landmark of the M61. The temple serves Latter-day Saints from northern England, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The temple’s history is tied to the growth of the LDS Church in Preston, where missionaries first arrived in 1837. The Preston Ward is the longest continuously functioning LDS unit in the world. In 1992, Gordon B. Hinckley announced the temple’s construction during the rededication of the London England Temple. Over 10,000 people attended the groundbreaking in 1994, and a public open house in 1998 attracted 123,000 visitors. The temple was dedicated in 15 sessions in 1998, with more than 18,000 members participating. Visitors find a tranquil 15-acre complex with a small pond, grassy areas and a single-storey temple. Inside, four ordinance rooms, four sealing rooms and a celestial room feature murals of the local area and paintings of Jesus Christ. The baptistry rests on twelve oxen representing the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The temple also hosts community events like the “Truth Will Prevail” pageant, which in 2013 featured 33 core cast members, 300 families and a 150-voice choir.