The chapelry of St Lawrence the Martyr has served the Townships of Heaton, Rushton James and Rushton Spencer in the North Staffordshire Moorlands since at least 1368, and is said to have been founded before the church in Leek.

The three townships, which later became civil parishes, are in the hundred of Totmonslow, the north eastern hundred of Staffordshire, which includes the Staffordshire Moors and boarders both the Derbyshire peak district and Cheshire. While there were many deposits of Coal, Lime and Stone in the area, there are very few industries in this traditionally agricultural upland region.

The three townships cover a combined area of 5939 acres. Heaton was the largest of the three townships covering an area of 2689 acres until, in 1934 the civil parishes of Rushton James and Rushton Spencer were combined to form Rushton civil parish which covers an area of 3250 acres.