Discover Standish

When looking for a hotel in Standish, the different themes of the local sights can help you decide how to plan your stay. St Wilfrid’s Church combines 16th-century building history with an Elizabethan oak ceiling. The crosses represent different historical contexts: for one monument, the dating applies mainly to its foundation and steps, while the Green Lane cross is notable for its preservation and former role as a waymarker. The Standish Mineral Line, in turn, is a route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. This lets you decide in advance whether architecture, historic waymarkers or the route will shape your visit.

St Wilfrid’s Church and its architecture

The present-day St Wilfrid’s Church was rebuilt between 1582 and 1584 and combines Gothic and Renaissance styles. If you are interested in ecclesiastical architecture, you can see both styles together in one building here. Inside, an Elizabethan oak ceiling spans the nave, aisles and chancel. These three areas offer specific points of interest during your visit to the church, beyond the nave alone.

The church is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday, all year round. Plan your visit to the interior for this time window, and check the opening hours again in advance if your plans depend on them.

Historic crosses in Standish

At the Village Cross and Stocks, the foundation and steps probably date from the Middle Ages; the remaining parts are attributed to the 18th or 19th century. This monument therefore brings together two different periods, rather than having a single date for all of it.

Despite the loss of its shaft and head, the Green Lane cross is well preserved at its original location. Its foundation is made from a single block of locally occurring gritstone. It belongs to a group of four medieval crosses that served as waymarkers on the route between Wigan and Chorley. The two monuments therefore offer different points of interest: the Village Cross and Stocks highlights the different dates of its individual parts, while the Green Lane cross is notable for its location, material and historic function as a waymarker.

Standish Mineral Line and Inner Heritage Trail

The Standish Mineral Line is a route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, and serves as an important access route to the centre of Standish. Improvements to the route include a three-metre-wide, illuminated bridleway. Its history of coal transportation also gives the Line a historical connection. This theme therefore brings together a route for several types of users and a specific chapter in the town’s history.

A leaflet for the Inner Heritage Trail is available to download. It provides a named starting point if you are also interested in this trail when planning your trip. The Mineral Line and the Inner Heritage Trail are presented here as separate themes; the information given for each offers different points of reference for planning your journey.

For your stay, you can weigh up the themes separately: the opening hours matter for the church, historical details are the focus at the crosses, and the types of users and coal-transport history are relevant to the Mineral Line.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Shaw, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Ramsbottom, Wigan, Hazel Grove, Kearsley, Dobcross, Ashton-In-Makerfield

Return to the main travel overview: Greater Manchester.