The Parish Church of St Lawrence, Biddulph, has a very interesting history, dating back to pre-Norman times. The present structure stands on the site of an earlier church, originally a small oak built chantry, which is believed to have been destroyed by the Danes circa 850-900 AD. This was later replaced by a Saxon church, probably of stone, since the arch to the belfry is of Saxon type.

On the wall of the West end of the present church can be seen the names of past incumbents of St Lawrence, dating back to 1274 but records show that there were others dating back to 1190. There is a gap between 1377 and 1535, when the Parish was administered by the Abbots of Hulton Abbey, and this may have been due to the possibility that many clergy perished during the Black Death.

The arrangement with Hulton Abbey continued until the Abbey's closure during the Reformation under Henry VIII.

During the Civil War the church was badly damaged by Cromwell's troops and the stained glass windows smashed but the vicar at that time collected the fragments and preserved them. They were later fitted into the East window where they can still be seen.

More on the church can be found here  

SURNAMES - forenames mentioned

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