Our Mission

To love God and each other as

Jesus taught us, bringing his

love to all, through our Welcome,

Worship and way of life.

History of the Church

The township of Scarisbrick was originally part of the ecclesiastical parish of Ormskirk, and St Mark’s Church was first built as a chapel of ease to the Church of St Peter and St Paul.

A scheme to build the new church was initiated by the Reverend E. J. G. Hornby, vicar of Ormskirk (1846–1850), and Charles Scarisbrick of Scarisbrick Hall provided land. It was built, by public subscription, in 1848–51 to a design by George Shaw of Saddleworth, and consecrated on 19 April 1853 by the Bishop of Chester. Scarisbrick became an independent parish on 14 December 1869, with the Reverend W. R. Ramsden as its first vicar. In 1878 the Marquis and Marchioness de Castéja gave additional land to St Mark’s in order to extend the churchyard and build a school. Enlargements to the church building were made in 1908 by William Edward Willink of Liverpool, with the addition of a new vestry and porch and various alterations to the interior. An electronic organ was donated to the church in 1947.

In the churchyard are nine Commonwealth War Graves belonging to soldiers of World War I and World War II. St Mark’s parish hall, used for meetings and functions, was opened and dedicated by Bishop Flagg on 6 June 1986. Despite the size of our church, the parish of St Mark’s, Scarisbrick is the largest in England by area! We are a fellowship serving a wide farming area with some 15 dispersed hamlets. Our worship is varied in order to suit all who come.

The Good Shepherd Mission

In 1907 this small seaman’s mission was dedicated by Bishop Chavasse and brought to the site initially by canal barge on the canal and then carried across the fields to the land where it stands today, in the parish of Scarisbrick.

This was to be a ‘church plant’ or mission church for our mother church of St Mark’s (on Southport Road, Scarisbrick). It’s a small, intimate church which was known for its friendly and relaxed fellowship, up until it’s closure in 2022.

Unfortunately we have recently had to close The Good Shepherd.
The building was falling into disrepair and after inspection, it has sadly been deemed uneconomical to repair at this time.

The Good Shepherd Mission

163 Smithy Lane

Scarisbrick

L40 8HJ

Church & Ecumenical Links

There are close links with our Church School and excellent ecumenical links with St Elizabeth’s RC Church. There is a combined Youth Fellowship run by leaders from each church.