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St Hubert’s Church, Dunsop Bridge, Forest of Bowland.
The Roman Catholic Church of St. Hubert’s was built to the design of Edward Pugin, from, it is believed, with the winnings of the racehorse Kettledrum owned by Colonel Charles Towneley of Towneley Hall, Burnley in the 1861 Epsom Derby. The Toweneley stud was at Root Farm. The Towneleys’ agent and patron of St Hubert’s, Richard Eastwood, is entombed outside the front entrance to the church. The church was opened on 2 May 1865 by Richard Roskell the then Roman Catholic Bishop of Nottingham. The medieval font was originally from the ancient church at Burholme near Whitewell. |
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The east and west windows are by J. B. Capronnier of Brussels and date from 1865. In its early years, the church was served by the Jesuit Order, from Stonyhurst. |
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The middle west window depicts St. Hubert who is the patron saint of hunters, as a huntsman accompanied by a stag. |
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The Forest of Bowland was once a royal hunting forest, and according to legend St. Hubert’s conversion to Christianity took place on a Good Friday when, while hunting a stag, he saw a vision of a cross between its antlers and heard a voice telling him to seek instruction in the Christian faith. |
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 The photograph above shows the north side of St Hubert’s Church showing the bell tower and the side of the front porch.  St Hubert’s Church is situated on the main road from Dunsop Bridge towards the Trough of Bowland and backs onto some lovely bowland fells. (Photographed on Monday 14th November 2022) |
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