John Lingard of St Mary's Hornby
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St Mary’s Hornby
Following the upheavals of the Reformation, the Catholics of Lunesdale were served by priests from Robert Hall, near Bentham, home of the Cantsfield family. The parish of St. Mary's dates from 1762 when Mrs Ann Fenwick of Hornby Hall installed the newly-ordained priest Thomas Butler as her chaplain and established a chapel in the Hall to serve the Catholics of the district. After Ann's death in 1777 Hornby Hall reverted to the family of her late husband and the chapel was closed. In accordance with Ann's will and with funds left by her for the purpose, Thomas Butler bought a field adjoining Hornby Hall and in 1779 built a house in which was incorporated a chapel. This house is now the presbytery. In 1821 St Mary's church was built by Dr John Lingard, parish priest and historian, who lived in Hornby for forty years. He is commemorated by a brass plaque in St Mary's and also by a plaque in St Margaret's parish church, erected by his Anglican friends.
