treble and were unbeaten for two and a half seasons, progressing to the Lancashire Amateur League in 1994. Since 2001–2002 it has played in the Premier Division of the Manchester Football League. Royton Cricket Club, plays in the Central Lancashire Cricket League (winning it on two occasions in 1914 and 1980). The Crompton and Royton Golf Club lies on the western fringe of the town, and has a prime heathland 18-hole golf course, spanning . The club operates a variety of open competitions. Royton Amateur Swimming and Water Polo Club has been serving the town for over 100 years and is affiliated to Central Lancashire Swimming Association, It has a long a rich history and the Water Polo section has had several GB players the latest Joe OReagan who played for GB in the London Olympics, Because of the lack of pool time there is only under 14s and Junior teams but are very successful playing in the Manchester and Bolton leagues and the Central Lancs leagues. Religion Royton had no medieval church of its own, and for ecclesiastical purposes, lay within the parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham in the Diocese of Lichfield, until 1541, when this diocese was divided and Royton became part of the Diocese of Chester. This in turn was divided in 1847, when the present Diocese of Manchester was created. For ritual baptisms, marriages and burials, the people of Royton, a Christian community, had to travel to churches that lay outside of the township's boundaries, including Oldham, St Mary's, Middleton, St Leonard's or Prestwich, St Mary's. A chapel of ease under the mother church of Prestwich, St Mary's, was built between 1754 and 1757, paid for by voluntary contributions. The chapel was consecrated on 1 July 1757, dedicated to Paul the Apostle. St Paul's Chapel was extended throughout the 19th century as the population of Royton grew, with a tower and clock added in 1828 and extensions in 1854 and again in 1883. The nave of the chapel was demolished in 1889 and the existing church building in neo-Gothic style was erected. St Paul's is in the Oldham West Deanery of the Diocese of Manchester. The Westwood Moravian Church congregation has recently relocated to Royton. In addition to the established church, a variety of Reformed denominations have been practised in Royton. The Religious Society of Friends were recorded as holding conventicles in Heyside in as early as the