Chorlton's very own microbrewery is to help local churchgoers celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Church in Chorlton with an exclusive beer brewed especially for the occasion.
While the community of Chorlton can be traced back to the 9th century, until 1512 the local people had to travel four miles to St Mary's, the parish church of Manchester to attend church services. Then the prominent Barlow family took it upon themselves to establish a chapel as a centre of worship for the area. For the first time baptisms, weddings and funerals could be held in the local community.
The chapel was built near the present Chorlton Green in the half-timbered style which was popular at the time. The front of the nearby Horse & Jockey pub is in the same style and is also believed to date back to 1512. With the church and the pub linked by a shared location and history, the pub's own Bootleg Brewery has created the special beer which has been named Parish'D (D being the Roman Numeral for 500). The main celebrations of the 500th anniversary will see the modern St Clements hold a number of events around Chorlton in September, but the beer will be launched on 6th July as the 8th Chorlton Beer and Cider festival opens at St Clements Church.