The Baptists in Lancashire originated and grew through links with Cromwell’s New Model Army in the years during the English Civil War (1642 – 1646).

At the end of the seventeenth century the most important centres of religion in Rossendale were Newchurch and Goodshaw, both of which possessed their Episcopal chapels. Before the Baptist denomination became established in Rossendale many towns and villages such as Bacup had no place of worship. The few inhabitants from theses places crossed the hills and worshipped at Newchurch or Goodshaw.

About this time two cousins, itinerant preachers from Yorkshire, William Mitchell and David Crossley, found their way into Rossendale Forest. They were Baptists and finding no churches there began preaching in Bacup and Cloughfold. Soon there were over 20 Baptist meeting houses in and around Bacup and Goodshaw.

Mitchell, a stonemason by trade, became the first pastor of the Baptist Church at Bacup. Crossley was reputed to be one of the most popular preachers of his day and for a time lived at o’Thtop” a small farm above Crawshawbooth.

Those living in the Lumb and Dean Valleys were well-known for their music. For generations they used to meet in each others’ houses to play. John Nuttall and several others became members of the Baptist church at Bacup, then under the ministry of Joseph Piccop. As a consequence their musical meetings began to take on a more religious aspect with John Nuttall and his great friend Richard Hudson giving readings from the Bible and other religious works.

In 1750, a Baptist meeting house was built in Lumb, and three years later, in May 1753, the Lord’s Supper was first administered to the assembled members, who chose John Nuttall as their minister. In 1760, a new chapel was built in the more populous neighbourhood of Goodshaw. Here the Reverend Nuttall settled and continued to minister until his death on March 30th, 1792, aged 76.