St Martin
Brighouse , Yorkshire
In 1818 an Act of Parliament was passed under which £1 million pounds was granted to the Established Church to build churches in developing industrial areas.
The earliest recorded origins of the church in Rastrick date to 1360 with the establishment of a chapel at St Matthew's. In 1798, the parish of St. Matthews was created
In 1870 the Rastrick Building Association built a school at St John's on land bought for £180: a Sunday and Day School and Mission Chapel designed to accommodate 120 infants and 220 juniors. Construction was completed in 1874 and the Mission room opened 19 August 1874, with the school opening on 1 October 1874. The first service in the Mission room was held on 6 April 1893, with the last service on 30 June 1901.
In 1894 Wakefield Diocesan Organisation Society gave £300 and £4,770 was paid by the railway company following introduction of the Railway Bill. The old buildings were destroyed and a new School built (the current church hall) which opened on 27 August 1902. The school was also used as a church, and lead to the creation of St John's parish.
The first sod was cut for a new church in 1913, with the church dedicated on Christmas Day 1914. On 27 November 1915, the new church of St John the Divine was blessed by the Bishop of Wakefield, George Eden. In 1983 a new east window was dedicated, followed in 1991 by the dedication of a new west window by the Archbishop of York.