Sts. Mary and Michael

Introduction

The church was built in 1858 and is situated just outside the town boundary, across the River Wyre in Barnacre-with-Bonds.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is built of sandstone rubble with slate roofs, comprising a west tower, nave and chancel under a continuous roof, a north aisle, and a north porch. The interior has a 5-bay arcade of pointed arches chamfered in 2 orders, on round columns with capitals. The nave has an open timber roof with cusped windbraces, trusses with curved braces to the collars, straight braces from the collars to the principals, and a collar plate. The chancel has a waggon roof with dormer windows on each side.

The east windows contain original glass. The church bell was cast by J Murphy Founders of Dublin.

Each pair of bell openings consists of two cusped ogee lights beneath a pointed head. The west window has three cusped lights under a pointed head with Geometric tracery. The west doorway is framed by a moulded pointed arch. East of the porch, the north aisle extends for five bays separated by buttresses.

The left-hand window of the north aisle contains two trefoiled lights beneath a head of pointed arches. The remaining north aisle windows have two trefoiled lights under a pointed head with a quatrefoil. The south nave windows are each of two lights with paired trefoiled heads. The east chapel window has two lights and the chancel window five lights, both with pointed heads and Geometric tracery.

The porch features diagonal buttresses, a steep roof, and a doorway with a moulded pointed arch. The moulded pointed chancel arch has clustered shafts as responds. The pointed tower arch has its lower part filled by a timber screen that supports a gallery. The aisle roof is constructed with scissor-braced rafters. A moulded pointed arch connects the chancel and the north aisle.

Music and liturgy

The parish has a main choir. The parish has liturgical groups involved in preparing for and running Masses.

The parish vision statement was drawn up by parishioners in 2002. The parish priest served on the National Liturgical Commission. The parish priest was ordained priest in 1982. The parish priest was ordained deacon in 1980.

The parish priest was a keen server as a child when the Mass was moving from Latin into English. The parish priest was drawn to the drama and theatre of the liturgy.

The parish history booklet was written by R. N. (Bill) Bamber in 1998. The parish history booklet was updated and re-issued in 2008 with the assistance of Richard Harrison. The parish history draws on the Lancaster Diocesan Directory for 1959. The parish history draws on Frank Walmsley's unpublished 'From Cheristanc to Gahstin'.

The parish priest studied for a degree in Philosophy at Durham University. The parish priest studied at the Institut catholique in Paris. The parish priest served as a priest in two parishes in Preston before moving to Carlisle. The parish priest has care of the two parishes of St Mary & St Michael, Garstang, and St Mary & St James, Scorton.

Parish life

The parish serves the market town of Garstang and its environs. The parish stretches from Cartmell Bridge in the west to Calder Vale in the east, and Grizedale Lea in the north to Catterall in the south, taking in Nateby, Winmarleigh, Kirkland, Barnacre with Bonds, Cabus and of course Garstang.

The parish has outreach groups that exist to meet the needs of people locally or internationally. The parish has pastoral and spiritual groups that provide emotional and spiritual support with a strong element of social activities.

The parish has sacramental ministries that help prepare individuals for receiving the Sacraments. The parish has a Grounds Maintenance group. The parish serves Cheshire Home, Bowgreave Rise Home, Cornmill Nursing Home, Bowers Wood Home, Abbeyfield, and Westwards Rest Home.