Parish History
Environmentally the ‘Village’ has seen enormous changes. Humble cottages and farms have given way to semi-detached houses, a surfeit of cars speed along roads where horses and carts were once led along dirt tracks. Life expectancy is greater, essential if time is to be found to enjoy delights of inventive progress … radio, television, videos, fast food and travel abroad. The hooters of ‘satanic mills’ have long been silent, as have the whistles of shunted locomotives in the engine sheds and coaling plant. In 1891 the railway and three cotton mills were the main employers and we had the services of the blacksmith, boot and shoe maker, cloggers and a beer house. Today the availability of pizza and fried chicken demonstrates that the twentieth century had mad its mark on Tardy Gate.
We use this name because it is part of our History and because many parishioners prefer it. Its continuing use will be assured so long as the inn nearest the church keeps its name.
The parish has had an influence on the names of roads in the immediate area of the church, Saint Cuthberts Road, Mercer Drive, Saint Gerrards Road (note the miss-spelling) Lourdes Avenue and Ampleforth Drive.
There is some confusion as to how Tardy Gate got its name but the following extract from ecclesiastical records may shed some light:
Penwortham Manuscript No. L1X
“Be it known to all men that we, Clement, Abbott of the monastery of our Blessed Lady and Saint Egwine of Evesham and the convent of the same, make knowledge by these presents that Willm Taylour of Howghwyke within the countie of Lan c, standdith and is owre lawfull tenaunt of the hoole tenthe corne and hey in Houghwyke forsaide, and none other man at the day of makynge of the presents. And also of a Tenement of owres in the said Houghwyke wherein the saide Willm nowdwellith. And of another tenement of owres in ffarington which John Tardy now holdyth and occupieth.”
In witness wherof we have sette hereunto our comyn Seale the X1th day of the monthe of Decembr in the XVth yere of the reigne of our Soueraygne Lord Kynge Henry the V111. (A.D.1524).