Parishioners and visitors being invited to a late summer service at the Pickup Bank Congregational Chapel, in Hoddlesden.

The original Pickup Bank Chapel was built as a Sunday School in around 1834 and became a chapel 26 years later. 

The land on which it is built belonged to the Honour of Clitheroe and was an extension to the land at Top o’ th’ Meadow, which was first given as a burial ground.

In 1899, building started to erect a more modern chapel, which was opened in 1900 and could accommodate around 300 worshippers, and activities began being transferred from the old chapel to the new building. 

However, the new chapel was demolished in 1987 due to dry rot, with the altar table, World War One memorial tablet and some pews saved and placed in the old chapel.

Despite best efforts, several organs succumbed to damp in the old chapel and Darwen Brass Band was asked to play at the services as a replacement, a tradition which still continues now.

Trustee, Jenny Smith, said: “We were delighted to welcome more than 30 people to last year’s summer service, and we are looking forward to increasing visitor numbers this year.”

This year's late summer service will take place next Sunday, September 8, at 3pm.