THE MUSEUM CONTENTS

The museum contains remains from four periods as well as more recent interpretative information and photos of various aspects of the Church. The artefacts were recovered from the Churchyard during the reconstruction and restoration of the Church in 1869/70.

Pre-Norman

Fragments from the period before the first stone church was built include eleventh century stone crosses, a Saxon font and a Celtic-type gravestone. The most valuable relic from this period in the Viking hog-back grave cover. This lies on display in the Church with its carved wavelets and stones prominent within the carving. The hogback stone presents evidence of Christian use of the site over 1000 years ago. A separate leaflet on the hog-back stone is available in the Church.

Norman

A few stones from the Norman Church also exist. These give evidence of the existence and character of the Norman Church. A gravestone of c1125 gives more evidence of this period and the sad children’s stone coffin are thought to date back to this period.

Gothic

There are a number of stones – from columns, window head, buttress, spandrels – from the next Church on the site of Gothic style which was begun c 1230 and completed with the present western tower some three centuries later in 1530. There is a coping stone of an earlier tower, interesting stone heads and some fine gravestones. The local stone, a fine red sandstone, is beautiful in hue but very fiable and had to be replaced in the restoration of 1869-70. We probably owe many of the pieces in the museum to this.

Post Gothic

A variety of other items make up the content of the museum from the lifetime of the current Church – gravestones, an Elizabethan bench-end, a c19th century stone head, a 19th century font, a water bucket and wood panelling. There is also an early 19th century font made from a pillar of the Gothic Church. Finally there is a tithe board recording the tithes payable in West Kirby and the bier used for collecting bodies (many of which were washed up on the West Kirby foreshore) and delivering them to the Church for their funerals. Additionally there are many old photos of the Church, Churchyard, schoolrooms and museum and interpretative information on the museum and its history.

 

IF YOU WANT TO VISIT

If you wish to visit the museum (and Church) call the curator, Rod Tann, on 0151 625 1234. Arrangements can be made for groups or individuals.