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St. Hilary's



One of the most striking landmarks in the north of the Wirral is the Parish Church of St. Hilary's, standing on one of the highest points in the parish, close by the remains of the tower of the older structure. A church of some kind has stood upon this site for centuries. The dedication to St. Hilary's is an uncommon one. Eight churches only bear the name in Britain, and these, except one in Lincolnshire, are situated in Celtic district, in Wales, and in Cornwall. It is believed that St.Hilary's was founded by St. Germanus of Gaul, or, at least, one of followers, between 445 and 447 AD. Hilary was Bishop of Poitiers from 353 to 368 and was a great supporter of the Nicene Creed of 325 AD. Germanus became Bishop of Auxerre, near Poitiers in 429, 50 years after the death of Hilary.



Germanus was sent over to this country to stamp out the Arian heresy relating to the substance of Christ and God the Father. Hilary had been successful at putting it down on the Continent. Whilst in England, he preached the Gospel and founded several churches. He may of travelled from North Wales across the River Dee and founded the church dedicated to St. Hilary's. There is no factual evidence that this may of been the case but the dedication to St. Hilary is, as already mentioned, not a common one. There is, however, an alternative theory which is consistent with a foundation in the sixth century or soon afterwards, St. Elian, a Welsh pilgrim saint of the sixth century had been confused, in many parts of Wales, with St. Hilary of Poitiers, and one result of this confusion had been that churches dedicated in the first place to St. Elian have lost sight of that name and assumed the better known name of St. Hilary. It is possible that the church at Wallasey is one of these churches.

The first church built on the site would have been made of either wood or wattle and daub. The first proper building was built in Norman times, possibly by Robert de Rodelent, the Norman Baron. Evidence clearly shows that a stone church existed. A bowl of a priscina and an arch-stone have been discovered. The earliest priest or rector known is Thomas (de Waley) in about 1170. One William (de Waley) was a benefactor at about the same time, and some think he may have been responsible for some additional building.



The font, which is Norman, is now in St. Luke's Church, Poulton, and is a fine example. It is decorated with a sort of zig-zag pattern known as 'Chevron', and one authority suggested that it could have been the work of the same person who decorated one at Eyam in Derbyshire. The font is about 800 years old and has spent some of its existence in and out of the garden. It is said to have been damaged by Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads men, who are supposed to have broken part of it, in order that their horses would have better access to it when they used it as a trough. Clearly, one can see where it had been repaired. It seems to have been replaced again in the church, then, for some reason or other, thrown back into the garden in about 1760. The Rector, Dr Byrth, thought it was a shame that a relic from Norman times should be treated in this manner, so he got men to replace it in the church in 1834. The old font survived the fire but it was decided not to have it back in the new church, so it was put back in the garden for about thirty years, until the Rector, Andrew Grey, took pity on it once more and had it put back into the church, although not used. When St. Luke's Church was built at the turn of the 20th Century, it was presented to them on a new base of four columns.

The Church of St. Hilary's was rebuilt in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. A fourth church on this site since 1066 was erected in the early sixteenth century. The present tower, standing to the south of the modern church, is dated 1530 and is all that remains from the late medieval period. It was restored in the nineteenth century for use as a mortuary chapel.

Although the tower is said to contain material from the early Norman structure, the windows, gargoyles and motifs place its construction in the reign of Henry VIII. Records also show that money was given for the tower in 1527.

A fifth church was built about 1757-60 and was described as barn-like and "plain even to ugliness". "With the exception of the tower", said Sir Stephen R. Glynne, who visited the building in 1854, "this church has little remaining of its original character. The arcades have been removed, and windows modernised; that at the east end, a new Perpendicular one, filled with stained glass. The tower bears the date 1530, and is, as might be expected, very late Perpendicular, embattled, with gargoyles and corner buttresses, and coarse, three-light belfry windows. The west window has been altered. The tower opens to the church by pointed arch on octagonal columns. The only other good feature is the font, which is Norman, with arches in relief on shafts, and a cable molding below. There is a new pulpit, heavy, and in imitation of Early English work; and an organ in the gallery. There is a stand for bread with the inscription : 'The gift of Mr Thomas Gleave, citizen of London, J.W., J.J., C.W., 1676'."





In the small hours of Sunday, 1st February 1857, the church was destroyed by fire. It is said that the fire was caused by the action of the sexton, John Coventry, in stoking on the Saturday night to an absurd extent, because of complaints that the church was cold for Sunday service. The Rector, the Revd. Frederick Haggitt, risked his life in the fire and saved the accounts and parish registers. The tower only was left standing, and after remaining in a ruinous condition for some time the base was reroofed with stone groining and made into a mortuary chapel in memory of James Harrison who died in 1891.

The new church was built from the designs by J.W and J Hay of Liverpool, and consecrated on 28th July 1859. It is cruciform in shape, with nave and aisles, transepts, chancel with aisles, and central tower, in style transitional between Decorated and Perpendicular, built of stone given my Mrs Mary Anne Maddock from her quarry in Rake Lane. They received £2,000 from the Insurance Company and £5,000 from subscriptions. The chiming clock was placed in the tower in 1895 and was a gift in memory of William Chambres of Wallasey Grange who died on 25th August 1893.

The present ring of bells were cast by Messrs Taylor and Co. of Loughborough and were from fragments of the old bells that were rescued from the fire. The old bells were considerably old, dating from 1723.



Before the Second World War every window in the church contained stained or painted glass, but during air-raids in 1940-41 nearly all of them were considerably damaged. After the war, when monet became available for the replacement of the glass, it was decided to use a large part of the fund for the design and manufacture of an east window worthy of the church, even to the extent of replacing with plain glass some windows which had previously contained stained glass. The east window was designed by E. Liddall Armitage, built at the Whitefriars Glass Studios, Middlesex, and dedicated on 11th May, 1955.

There has been a Rectory at St. Hilary's from, at least 1530. In those days it was a thatched house, which had, according to an old schoolmaster, Henry Robinson, "a brave parlour". Dr George Snell, Rector from 1619 - 1634, thought it was time that a new rectory be built, so the old house was knocked down and a sandstone house was built in its place in 1632, the money having been obtained from the executors for a dilapidation claim. Above the fireplace was carved "Domum Gorg Snell Fieri Fecit". Further alterations were made by Thomas Swinton, which extended the building. He had an inscription placed in the wall which read - "Lateritia huius dous part Thomas Swinton fieri fecit anno. dom 1695" signifying that he had built the brick portion of the house.



The Revd. Frederick Haggitt also made improvements to the house, by using some of the stone from the old Wallasey Hall, around 1864. Half of the rectory was pulled down and in 1940 a new rectory was built on part of the site of the old Wallasey Hall. It was opened by A. Bruce Wallace Esq., and blessed by the Bishop of Chester. It is constructed of rustic brick and the tablet which Thomas Swinton had placed in the old rectory was placed over the bay window. At one period of its history the old rectory had as many as 13 bedrooms.

The old rectory was then used for church meetings. including those of Wallasey Village Toc H. The building was not used after 1976 and it slowly fell into decay, until it was sold into private hands to be restored and re-built to make it into a new residence. Alterations were carried out to the church in 1990 to make room for the Sunday School as the Parish Hall had been sold. A dais with communion table was also added.

Claremount Methodist Church



The Methodists in Wallasey Village met in a School Chapel at the corner of Marlwood Road. It had been built in 1885.

Eleven Foundation Stones were laid on Wednesday, 19th May, 1909. Under one of them were placed newspapers, the Circuit magazines and Plan. A month later 50 young people laid bricks for the new church who each collected a guinea for the building fund. The new red sandstone church was opened by Mrs. J.D. Williams on 25th May 1910. The Service of Dedication was conducted by the President of the Conference, the Revd. William Perkins. The cost of the church and site was £10,000.



The tower was not completed until 1935. A new organ was installed in 1931 and further work was carried out to the interior including decoration. Like other churches in the town, Claremount suffered was damage and services had to be suspended and when the schoolroom was repaired the congregation were once again able to meet. On 31st July, 1944 the church re-opened with a Service of Thanksgiving which was attended by the Mayor and members of the Council. The new hall was opened on 18th May, 1961.

The fine rose-type window above the chancel depicts the story of Bunyan's "Pilgrim, Progress" which serves as a memorial to the men of the church who had fallen in the two world wars.

Church of the English Martyrs




The Catholics of Wallasey Village first met for Mass in 1901 when a house was supplied by a priest from Ss Peter and Paul's, New Brighton. The house, at 59 St George's Road, was demolished in September 1951 to enlarge the building site. Under Canon Stanton, the first Parish Priest, Father William Reade [1908-1910] and Father Edward Byrne [1910-1925] the small congregation was adequately accommodated. In Canon Fisher's time [1925-1933] the first steps were taken towards the building of a new church. Canon McNally [1933-1941] continued with the scheme but was prevented from bringing his plans to fruition by the outbreak of war.



The site of the new church was chosen and would continually be situated on St. George's Road. The foundation stone of the present church was laid on 4th March, 1952 by Father J. Coughlan, the parish priest, who was also from Wallasey. The tower rises to a height of 70 feet, with an 8 foot cross on top. The architectural style is reminiscent of an early Roman parish church with its campanile and baptistery separate but adjoining the main body. The Sanctuary, with its simple altar, reredos of the Last Supper in silvered stone, and hanging Rood is perhaps the feature of the church. On the outside, the mass of golden brick is relieved by small windows, which at the Sanctuary end are grouped by modeled cast stode mullions. It cost £50,000 to build and was opened and blessed on Monday 31st August, 1953, by the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Robert Leighton Hodson. The architect was Mr F X Velarde and the church was built by Messrs Tysons Ltd.

St. Nicholas



St. Nicholas Church, standing just back from Bayswater Road, was built by two Harrison brothers, Frederick James and Sir Heath, in memory of their well-known parents, James and Jane Harrison who lived at the Laund, 1857-79, hence the church is also known as the Harrison Memorial Church (as well as the Golfers Church). The foundations stone was laid by Miss Alice Jane Harrison, sister of the donors, on 26 April 1910. Built of Storeton stone by J. Thomas of Oxton at a cost of £15,000, it seats up to 700 and was designed in a perpendicular style by Mr J Francis Doyle. The tower rises 75 feet, which can be seen from the sea. It was built on a "raft" on account of the foundation being of sand. The church was dedicated on 29 November 1911 by the Bishop of Chester and the first incumbent the Revd. A.S Roscamp M.A. There are carvings on the exterior of King George V and Queen Mary, whose coronation was in the year it was built, and the heads of King Edward I and Queen Eleanor. The Harrison Memorial Hall, the foundation stone for which was laid on 21 May 1932 on a site next to the present Windsors' showroom in Harrison Drive, boasted a stage and seating for 500.

Wallasey Village United Reform Church



The Presbyterians in the Village first gathered together in a hired room behind the Black Horse Inn. A mission was formed by Mr Edward Billington and made into a preaching station in 1895. The present church, now a United Reform Church, was built in red press-faced brick in 1899 and proudly boasts "the only 'Main Road' Church in Wallasey Village".

Great photos of the churches.

Nice one Paul. Love St hilarys history.

St Hilarys Church, Wallasey Village, no date

Nice pic Pablo, keep them comming for us peeps to share x

I'll do me best Lightning. Nice avatar by the way....

St. Hilary's Church.
When I did the guided tour a number of years ago, I asked about the little medieval looking sculptured heads, which are situated internally around the church. At the time, I was told they could have been representative of the different craftsmen who contributed to the building of the church. As it's been through a few traumas, does anyone know if it's possible that they have been saved from the church built in 1530's or before, or is it a bit of wrong information.

The other thing that I wonder is, the fact that it must have been Roman Catholic for many centuries, would the Catholic archives hold anymore historial information that could be accessed?

Nice picture - it must have been taken after the tram lines were covered up.
Those square bollards by the flower bed seem a little large to hold a chain or rope. Perhaps they were there as a precaution to catch a run-away tram?

A good site to find info and start researching churches is this one at GENUKI.

According to my Mum the large rectangular bollards did indeed used to have chains strung between them, they were attached where you see the black dot near the top on the sides. Maybe the chains went the way of all other such metal, like iron fences, etc, during WW2?

BTW I don't think they were to catch or stop anything, as they also extend all the way down the far edge of the Library field, down Folly Lane towards Wallasey Village (imagine turning right, down the hill, after the flower beds, just before the parked car). Nothing to stop, down there...! They just designated the 'keep off the grass' area, basically!

I think I remember the chains. They had a sort of star shaped link in them to stop children sitting on them.

The car in the pic posted by Pablo has been discussed before I think. My mum thinks it belonged to Tommy Roberts, the butcher from the village. The bungalow where Tommy and Edna lived is that which is directly in line with the old tower.

Other points of interest concern the high wall that runs down beside the church. The stonework in the lower section of that wall is obviously "different" (I will say newer) that the stonework higher up. Also there is a large door in that "different" section of the wall. I think the land at this point actually belonged to Tommy Roberts and there were plans to build a garage on the land. Maybe the door was to allow a car to be parked in there.

In days gone by that area was occupied by a set of cottages that ran back perpendicular to the road - The Gully. These were very characteristic in that the first 3 cottages all had the same roofline but the cottage furthest from the road had a significanly higher roofline.

The pathway alongside these cottages (which were demolished before WW1) was perpetuated by the narrow pathway that ran from road between side of the high stone wall seen in the pic Pablo posted and Tommy Roberts bungalow. The path then turned left and entered the bottom of the churchyard.

That pathway has been blocked by brambles and a gate for the last 20 years. It has now "gone" anyway because most of that lower section of the wall has been removed to allow building of the new Health Centre. When they were excavating during the early stages of that development you could see some of the foundations & wall from the remains of The Gully cottages

Snod

Nice one Snodvan. Well done