Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Cowgill & Comer 1839
Dove Bell ID: 53650 Tower ID: 19914 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Egremont (or Liscard): St John
Overview
Grid reference: SJ 314 915
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West portico, nave of six bays, tripartite west bay with baptistery flanked by vestibules with staircases originally leading to the galleries; shallow chancel added in 1880.
Dimensions:
Nave 34m (105 ft) x 19.50m (63ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built and furnished by H Edwards in 1832-3 at a cost of £7,700 raised by subscription, on land originally owned by Birkenhead priory; there may be archaeological implications to any development of the site, the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) should be consulted. At the time of construction, Poulton-cum-Seacombe, the original settlement here, had around 1,000 inhabitants; by 1901 there were over 20,000. The local shipping companies provided the endowment for the construction and furnishing of the church and remained involved till the mid-20th century.
Externally the church is almost unchanged, apart from the addition of a sanctuary in the same style in 1880. A detached hall was added a short distance to the east, which has toilet and meeting facilities. Internally there have been more changes, the most radical of which being the reordering and removal of the galleries and the construction and furnishing of the sanctuary in 1880. The reredos was installed in 1927.
The church was badly damaged by enemy bombs in 1942, after which the roof was repaired, the ornate ceiling and wall decoration visible in photographs of this period damaged and painted over. The church was only restored and rededicated in 1954. The roofs were repaired in 1994 with grant aid from English Heritage, and the organ restored in 1999 with grant aid from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts and the Heritage Lottery Fund. A nave altar dais was installed in 1999.
Exterior Description
As Pevsner commented, this is the oldest and best church building in Wallasey, a very impressive design enhanced by its setting, and with high townscape impact. The architectural style chosen is Greek Doric, expressed by the west front with its powerful portico. This has a Doric entablature and panelled parapet above a tetrastyle portico, flanked by angle pilasters and single windows with architraves and splayed reveals, friezes and consoled pediments; the fenestration is of small-paned glazing. The entrance has the same treatment, with an overlight and paired 2-panel doors painted red (as with all the doors).
The nave windows are as above but without consoles. The projecting western bays (ritual west is actual south) have paired flat pilasters flanking side entrances. The east end has a projecting pedimented chancel and low projecting bays to either side, in the same style but added in 1880. The chancel has a blind tripartite window with pilasters and entablature with wreaths.
Building Fabric and Features
Portico
19th century west
Nave
19th century 6-bay
Baptistery
19th century flanked by vestibules with staircases
Chancel
19th century shallow
Building Materials
Sandstone
19th century ashlar
Brick
19th century stucco
Steel
20th century roof trusses
Timber
20th century rafters
Asphalt
20th century roof
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is extraordinarily wide, a huge unsupported span. It is now relatively plain, partly due to war damage and the post-war restoration, though the east end with its fine furnishings of the late 19th century is impressive. The nave is fully pewed with benches. The interior is plastered in cream yellow, with cornices and details picked out in white. The nave floor is laid with red carpet, and there is a black and white marble floor in the sanctuary.
At the east end of the nave, high quality dark hardwood screens form an organ chamber (exposed pipes in an architectural frame) and lady chapel flanking the choir, which has furnishings of the same period in front of the chancel arch. The sanctuary has a painted tripartite reredos with stencilling above. The nave has paintings of the Apostles applied to the walls, a replacement for the ornate wall paintings of the past. The vestry has original (1880’s) cupboards with angle pilasters and entablatures.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
20th century Of oak, with a panelled front, of a piece with the reredos. There is an altar in the Lady chapel in the same style.
Reredos
20th century Huge painted plaster reredos depicting the Ascension by W C Penn, installed in 1927, within a richly gilded and painted architectural entablature. The semi-circular pediment above has the Agnus Dei within a sexfoil as its centrepiece. The Lady chapel has a panelled reredos of wood made in Africa in the early 20th century, a relic of Empire and the maritime trade of the area.
Pulpit
19th century Square timber pulpit, originally part of a 2-decker pulpit which originally formed the focus at the east end.
Lectern
19th century Reading stand, dark wood.
Font (component)
19th century Elliptical alabaster font on three polychrome marble steps with kneeling angels supporting the rim, and a gadroon rim. Early 20th century wooden font cover made in Africa (see reredos), carved with very expressive figures.
Plaque (component)
20th century Several 20th century brass tablets, including two commemorating the redecoration of the church after the war and the rededication by the Bishop in 1954.
Organ (component)
20th century Built by Brewster & Fleetwood in 1902, rebuilt by Hele & co of Plymouth in 1902 (basically their organ) and overhauled again in 1921. Restored by Harrison & Harrison of Durham in 1990.
Stall
19th century Three rows of dark wood choirstalls and clergy desks, well designed, Baroque style.
Rail
19th century As the other chancel and choir furnishings.
Inscribed Object
20th century Grey stone pedimented memorial to the members of the YMC who fell in World War I, with a pediment enclosing a carved crucifix. World War I pedimented brass tablet. World War II Roll of Honour. All in baptistery.
Bells
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers date from 1884.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SJ 314 915
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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