The Original White Chapel where the village gains it’s name is now the site of ST James’ Church. The original chapel was from the Threlfall family providing use of the families private chapel from 1581 for communal worship. From 1710 the chapel was allocated more seating In 1738 the church was rebuilt/ extended along with the current 1887-9 renovation we see today. From the 18th century the chapel was given a reverend for the community in an official capacity. The village was separated from Inglewhite and Goosnargh in 1846 creating it’s own identity one hundred years after the village actually asked for it! Since then Whitechapel has built a thriving Hamlet community with the addition of the Primary School, Whitechapel Village Hall and in the 21st century the Multi Use Gaming Area (MUGA).
The Cross Keys has been a village favourite offering another community space and another Public House for the locals. It is opposite St James church pictured above it has certainly changed over the century. Whitechapel has also been the site of the Rose Queen tradition, like at St Mary’s Goosnargh, from the 1880s that swept across Lancashire, the origin changed over the century and became a community celebration. Whitechapel is also a village with an unusual shrove Tuesday tradition, called ‘Pancaking’ where village children travel the village nocking on doors saying “please a pancake” in the hope of getting a pancake or topping. Oral accounts date this tradition to the early Victorian period meaning the tradition is at least 200 years old and counting.
