Since 1847 Chorlton has been in the Anglican Diocese of Manchester and Archdeaconry of Manchester; and since 1850, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford.
Between 1541 and  1847 it was in the Diocese of Chester and before that the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry.
In medieval times  the parish church was the Collegiate Church in Manchester, dependent on which was the chapel of ease at Didsbury.

A timber-framed chapel dedicated to St Clement provided by the Barlow family in 1512 was used until 1779 when it was replaced by a brick chapel, probably on the same site. (
Its Grade II listed gatehouse and bell turret remain at Chorlton Green.)
Chorlton was designated a parish in 1839 and by 1860 the chapel was deemed inadequate for the expanding population.
Lord Egerton provided land for a replacement but not all parishioners supported the proposal and the old chapel remained after the new church was completed in 1866.
After the old chapel was demolished in 1949 St Clement's Church became the parish church.

In 1898 a new parish was established consisting of part of St Clement's parish and some others.
The foundation stone of St Werburgh's Church was laid on 5 November 1899, its chancel and transepts dedicated in 1900, it was completed and opened on 1 June 1902 and consecrated 15 July 1902.

A Methodist chapel was built in about 1805 and replaced by a larger building in 1827.
It moved to Manchester Road in 1873 when the neo-Gothic chapel was built.
It has a memorial to those who lost their lives in the First World War in the grounds.
Manley Park Methodist Church was established in a tin tabernacle in 1905.
The present building opened in 1910.
A smaller chapel was used by Welsh Methodists.
A Congregational Chapel opened in 1883 was replaced in 1894 and became the United Reformed Church, the MacFadyen Memorial Church, but was demolished and its congregation meets in the church hall.
Other denominations established churches: the Unitarians in Wilbraham Road in 1901; the Macpherson Memorial Primitive Methodist Church was  built in 1896 and enlarged in 1908; the Baptist Maclaren Memorial Church in 1907; the Presbyterians in 1908; and the Emmanuel  Free Church in 1909.
The Unitarian and Baptist Chapels have been demolished, although their congregations are still in existence.
The Congregationalists and Baptists have joined the United Reformed Church in the former Congregational church hall.
Chorlton Evangelical Church (founded 1930) meets at Ivygreen Road; its present building was opened in 1951.

A Roman Catholic mission began in 1892 at St Peter's Chapel in Barlow Moor Road and another was established at St. Augustine's in High Lane.
A new church was built in 1927 when the parish became St. John's.
St Ambrose of Milan was founded in 1932 at Barlow Moor and new church opened in 1958.
The architects were Reynolds & Stone.
Its dedication to St Ambrose of Milan was chosen because St Ambrose Barlow's birthplace was in the parish.

The present-day population includes many Muslims, mostly of south Asian origin.
There are mosques in Whalley Range and an Islamic high school for girls in Chorlton.

There are small numbers of Buddhists: one congregation uses the former Primitive Methodist Chapel and another, the Vairochana Buddhist Centre.
The oldest, founded 1975, belongs to the Kagyu Ling school of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Manchester Centre for Buddhist Meditation, High Lane, Chorlton, was used by the UK Samatha Association from the 1980s and established as such after its purchase by the Association.
This centre supports local Buddhist meditation in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.
Since 1847 Chorlton has been in the Anglican Diocese of Manchester and Archdeaconry of Manchester; and since 1850, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford. Between 1541 and  1847 it was in the Diocese of Chester and before that the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry. In medieval times  the parish church was the Collegiate Church in Manchester, dependent on which was the chapel of ease at Didsbury.
A timber-framed chapel dedicated to St Clement provided by the Barlow family in 1512 was used until 1779 when it was replaced by a brick chapel, probably on the same site. (Its Grade II listed gatehouse and bell turret remain at Chorlton Green.) Chorlton was designated a parish in 1839 and by 1860 the chapel was deemed inadequate for the expanding population. Lord Egerton provided land for a replacement but not all parishioners supported the proposal and the old chapel remained after the new church was completed in 1866. After the old chapel was demolished in 1949 St Clement's Church became the parish church.
In 1898 a new parish was established consisting of part of St Clement's parish and some others. The foundation stone of St Werburgh's Church was laid on 5 November 1899, its chancel and transepts dedicated in 1900, it was completed and opened on 1 June 1902 and consecrated 15 July 1902.
A Methodist chapel was built in about 1805 and replaced by a larger building in 1827. It moved to Manchester Road in 1873 when the neo-Gothic chapel was built. It has a memorial to those who lost their lives in the First World War in the grounds. Manley Park Methodist Church was established in a tin tabernacle in 1905. The present building opened in 1910. A smaller chapel was used by Welsh Methodists. A Congregational Chapel opened in 1883 was replaced in 1894 and became the United Reformed Church, the MacFadyen Memorial Church, but was demolished and its congregation meets in the church hall. Other denominations established churches: the Unitarians in Wilbraham Road in 1901; the Macpherson Memorial Primitive Methodist Church was  built in 1896 and enlarged in 1908; the Baptist Maclaren Memorial Church in 1907; the Presbyterians in 1908; and the Emmanuel  Free Church in 1909. The Unitarian and Baptist Chapels have been demolished, although their congregations are still in existence. The Congregationalists and Baptists have joined the United Reformed Church in the former Congregational church hall. Chorlton Evangelical Church (founded 1930) meets at Ivygreen Road; its present building was opened in 1951.
A Roman Catholic mission began in 1892 at St Peter's Chapel in Barlow Moor Road and another was established at St. Augustine's in High Lane. A new church was built in 1927 when the parish became St. John's. St Ambrose of Milan was founded in 1932 at Barlow Moor and new church opened in 1958. The architects were Reynolds & Stone. Its dedication to St Ambrose of Milan was chosen because St Ambrose Barlow's birthplace was in the parish.
The present-day population includes many Muslims, mostly of south Asian origin. There are mosques in Whalley Range and an Islamic high school for girls in Chorlton.
There are small numbers of Buddhists: one congregation uses the former Primitive Methodist Chapel and another, the Vairochana Buddhist Centre. The oldest, founded 1975, belongs to the Kagyu Ling school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Manchester Centre for Buddhist Meditation, High Lane, Chorlton, was used by the UK Samatha Association from the 1980s and established as such after its purchase by the Association. This centre supports local Buddhist meditation in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.
Chorlton-cum-Hardy