Haslingden's Anglican parish church, dedicated to St James the Great, was rebuilt in 1780 on a site occupied by a church building since at least 1284.
Murray's Guide says "it stands well and is plain Georgian, dully Gothicised inside".
In 1296 a deed of gift of the Earl of Lincoln to the monks of Stanlaw granted them the parish of Whalley.
Haslingden was recorded as being one of Whalley's seven independent chapelries, and was served by two priests.
The church is locally known as the 'top church' by reason of its dominating position.

St James's Church now sits well to the north of the town centre, but until the 1930s it was adjacent to the 'Top of the Town' - the area between Town Gate and Church Street, and the old centre of Haslingden.
This was an area containing several public house drinking places, the original market, the town stocks, and Marsden Square, where travelling shows pitched their tents.
Clearance began in 1932 and the area is now largely housing.

By the west side of the church entrance is a large Plague Stone, with two carved holes.
There is some uncertainty about its exact purpose, but most opinion is that such stones were used in times of plague to enable food (or other alms) to be offered to plague victims while avoiding direct contact.
A Saxon Cross is mentioned in the Clitheroe court rolls of 1547, and the stone may have been at the base of the cross, so the stone probably dates from the 16th century or earlier.
Haslingden's Anglican parish church, dedicated to St James the Great, was rebuilt in 1780 on a site occupied by a church building since at least 1284. Murray's Guide says "it stands well and is plain Georgian, dully Gothicised inside". In 1296 a deed of gift of the Earl of Lincoln to the monks of Stanlaw granted them the parish of Whalley. Haslingden was recorded as being one of Whalley's seven independent chapelries, and was served by two priests. The church is locally known as the 'top church' by reason of its dominating position. 
St James's Church now sits well to the north of the town centre, but until the 1930s it was adjacent to the 'Top of the Town' - the area between Town Gate and Church Street, and the old centre of Haslingden. This was an area containing several public house drinking places, the original market, the town stocks, and Marsden Square, where travelling shows pitched their tents. Clearance began in 1932 and the area is now largely housing.
By the west side of the church entrance is a large Plague Stone, with two carved holes. There is some uncertainty about its exact purpose, but most opinion is that such stones were used in times of plague to enable food (or other alms) to be offered to plague victims while avoiding direct contact. A Saxon Cross is mentioned in the Clitheroe court rolls of 1547, and the stone may have been at the base of the cross, so the stone probably dates from the 16th century or earlier.
Haslingden