A 15-YEAR ‘labour of love’ has seen a woman realise her ambition to document every place of worship in Darwen.

Pauline Hodkinson, 71, has now published the book Churches, Chapels and Memorials in and around Darwen.

The comprehensive 120-page book gives details of 81 locations past and present along with hundreds of archive and contemporary pictures.

Pauline, a retired clerical worker who lives in Powell Street, said the project occurred to her around 15 years ago when she was researching her family tree.

She said: “I particularly enjoyed doing the family history and during that research I came across churches and chapels that had disappeared or become used for different purposes.

“So I’ve ploughed on methodically and spent hundreds of hours in Darwen Library and at the county records office in Preston.

“I also got a lot of help from Darwen Research Group and the Lloyd Charity Trust helped with printing costs.

“I’ve really enjoyed it even though it’s taken a very long time to get to this stage.

“You could call it a labour of love.”

Mrs Hodkinson, a mother-of-two with one grandchild, who has been married to husband John for 52 years, decided to print 200 copies to be sold at various locations around the town.

She said: “To finally hold it in my hands felt wonderful and I’m pleased with how it looks. I’m selling copies for £10 each.

“There’s details of around 80 places of worship, of them about half are still active.

“I’m sure it will be of interest to a lot of Darwen people who are passionate about the heritage and history of the town.

“I’ve already raised a few hundred pounds and and all the proceeds will go to small charities in Darwen such as bowling clubs, the ones which don’t get much recognition.”

The book is available to buy from Percival Pictures in Darwen Market annexe, Moss Bridge Post Office and Hoddlesden Post Office.

Among the ‘lost’ places of worship in the book are Pickup Bank Chapel where John Wesley preached in 1759 and 1761 and the Railway Road Wesleyan Chapel which was founded in 1864 and is now the Old Chapel Wetherspoons pub.