The following account celebrates the rich history of St Matthew’s Church and represents an extraordinary achievement by Richard Kay of Rastrick, who devoted 15 years to its research and writing. His remarkable dedication and attention to detail shine through every page. By leaving no stone unturned, Richard has created an invaluable historical record that will be of great importance to anyone researching the church and will be appreciated for generations to come. To ensure that this remarkable work remains accessible to the wider community, a hard copy has been placed in the reference section of Rastrick Library.

I am very thankful that Richard has allowed this website to produce his research document in full.

Andrew Eccles – September 2026