The parish of Lomba da Maia is bound by the sea and the parishes of Maia and Fenais da Ajuda (Ribeira Grande municipality) and Furnas (Povoação municipality).

The name of this parish comes from the fact that it is situated on a ridge (lomba) or backbone of a hill overlooking Maia.

At the end of the 16th century, Gaspar Frutuoso pointed out that the hamlet of “Lomba da Maia begins at the Eastern Ridge at the Grotinha da Fonte and the western strip at the Grota da Cruz”. The chronicler also mentions the existence of a chapel to Nossa Senhora do Rosário, at Lomba Grande.

Little is known about the chapel itself. Originally it would have been built in the first quarter of the 16th century, presuming that settlement took place around 1510, since, after the earthquake of 1522, Friar MontAlverne wrote as follows: “Believing that judgement Day had come, the people were urged by the cleary to take as the patroness of the island the Holy Virgin of Rosário and and at Lomba da Maia a house was a house was built in praise to her”.

The original chapel resulted in the present Parish Church, built in 1867, and dedicated to the same patron saint, Nossa Senhora do Rosário. The church has a single facade and these naves in the interior.

Until it gained the status of parish in 1908, the hamlet of Lomba da Maia belonged to the Maia parish.

Demographic chart of Ribeira Grande Parishes