Church of St Wilfrid, Standish

The Church of St Wilfrid stands in Market Place, Standish, a small town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan. It is an active Anglican parish church in the Diocese of Blackburn and holds Grade I listed status. Experts writing in the Buildings of England series call it one of the most interesting churches in Lancashire. The church first appears in records from 1205, yet its ancient parish once covered eleven townships, suggesting an earlier foundation. The Pilkington family of Lancashire have been closely linked to the church since at least 1322. Three chantries were added inside the church between 1301 and the late 15th century, including one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The present building was rebuilt between 1582 and 1584 in a mixed Gothic and Renaissance style under the direction of Lawrence Shipway. In the 20th century, the Lancaster architects Austin and Paley carried out several projects here. They added vestries in 1913–14 and built a gatehouse at the churchyard entrance in 1926. The gatehouse is itself Grade II listed. A major restoration of the 130-foot spire was completed in 2025, repairing stonework and wooden framework damaged by corrosion and water. The church’s clock and weather vane were also refurbished, though deathwatch beetles were later found in the roof. Inside, the church has a fine Tudor roof with panels and cross-braces covering nave, aisles and chancel. Simon Jenkins, in his book England’s Thousand Best Churches, describes it as the finest roof in Lancashire. The nave arches show a transitional style, mixing Gothic forms with Tuscan columns. The Standish family chapel contains carved pew ends displaying the family crest of an owl with a rat. Outside, the churchyard is divided into old and new sections and holds war graves from both world wars.