We do not know the exact date of the establishment of a church at Broughton but we believe it to be about 1100 AD. There is no mention of a church at Broughton in Domesday Book but a list of Vicars dates from 1353 AD and although the early names appear in legal documents, there is no proof that they ever acted as priest at the chapel of Broughton.

The earliest building was probably wooden but there seems to have been a stone church in the fourteenth century. This was rebuilt in 1533 – the date of the tower which is the oldest part now standing. The church was rebuilt again in 1826 and in 1904 the east wall was removed and the present chancel added. Other more recent additions have been the choir vestry on the south side in 1976 and a north porch in 1987.

Until the twentieth century Broughton Church served a country parish and most of the parishioners were from the farming community but after the 1914/18 war the parish began to grow and there was much building. In 1957 the Parish Hall with St Martin’s Chapel was built to serve the southern part of the parish. The name St Martin’s was suggested by the then Bishop of Blackburn because he had served at St Martin’s in the Fields in London. With yet more building in the Sharoe Green area the church agreed to a second church school on Meadowfield with a chapel to be called St Peter’s. At that time St Peter’s Church in Preston was closing and the parishioners gave the communion silver to St. Peter’s on condition that it took the name of their church. Broughton Church already had a church school which was over 400 years old. In the nineteenth century the population of the parish was 1015 but now is nearer 15000 souls.

The usual services are held at the Parish Church each Sunday with 9.30 am family communion at St Martin’s and St Peter’s. In addition there are midweek communion services. There is a choir of over 50 men and boys and a music group. The parish has a thriving social life with a church club and a bowling green, Womens’ Fellowship and Mothers’ Union, a strong section of the uniformed organisations with over 20 units of Guides and Scouts attached to the church. There are three Sunday Schools and a Youth Group and a flourishing Drama Group called the Hall Players. A horticultural show is held in the Autumn and a "Fast Lunch" is held every Friday to raise money for Christian charities.