This time the priest stayed until midnight with the men. Almost as soon as the priest had left one of the men was startled by a large black cat, with huge eyes and a barbed tail. It picked up a large stone easily and ran off, returning almost immediately for another one. The men watched for some time until one of them gathered enough courage to pick up a piece of wood to hit the animal on the head, before he could deliver another blow the animal attacked him. The other man fled in search of the priest. On there return the cat and materials had again disappeared, and the other poor man had died. So legend has it, the church was built on the site chosen by the cat.

A second legend is about an “Angel”- An angel was given credit for the transference of the foundations, with the utterance of the following rhyme:-

“Here I have placed thee,
And here thou shalt stand,
And thou shalt be called
The Church of Leyland”

The church reflects much history and it is thought that when originally constructed the roof was thatched. It has beautiful stained glass windows depicting biblical scenes and numerous inscriptions abound to past members of the church and parish.

It was about 1220 that the new church of stone was built, consisting of a nave and chancel. The chancel remaining virtually unchanged to this present day.

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