It is probably true to say that there has been a church on the site now occupied by the present parish church for well over a thousand years, dating back to pre - Norman times. There are reasons for assuming that a church existed here in those far off days when Dalton was probably the largest settlement in the area, and by its very position a refuge against attack, It must be emphasised that this is a statement of probability - there is no evidence, documentary or otherwise, surviving to support this theory. The earliest documentary evidence which strongly suggests the existence of a church at Dalton is found in the Furness Deeds 118I-5. Gilbert, persona de Dalton. was one of the witnesses to this document and his name heads the list of known vicars of the Dalton parish church.

Twice during the early part of the fourteenth century Dalton and its church, in common with the rest of Furness, suffered grievously at the hands of Scottish raiders from over the border. The marauders burned down houses, looted and murdered at will, took many prisoners, and left behind them a scene of considerable devastation. These raids occurred in the years 13l6 and 1322, and on the second occasion it was Robert the Bruce who led the Scottish warriors. The abbot, on hearing of his approach and fearful for the safety of the monastery, went out to meet him and offered gifts of money and hospitality at the abbey in the hope that Robert would be persuaded to leave peacefully. The gifts and hospitality were accepted by the Scots who then ventured forth into the surrounding area which they proceeded to 1880's ravage most efficiently. The sole result of the abbot's pleading was that the monastery and its inmates were spared - the rest of Furness certainly wasn't, and the church at Dalton suffered enormously at their hands. As a consequence of these raids the tax levied on this church, and others in the area was reduced.

By the early 1880's the church was in a rather bad state and really extensive repair work was required, so extensive in fact that it was decided that, if the funds could be made available, the old church should be demolished, and a new one, a much finer structure, built on the same site. So, in l883, the old church which had served the town for generations, was demolished and work commenced on the new one. The designers of the new church were Messr's Paley and Austin of Lancaster, and the result of their work is, to this day, a fine example of church architecture.

The Green School with the old Church in the background.

Later with the new church in the background.

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