History of the Church....
In 1835 – A group of men met at Dovecot House – headed by Adam Dugdale, they decided to build 2 schools and a church for the people of the village.
The parish of West Derby had substantially grown – and it was felt that an additional church should be provided in West Derby for the celebration of public worship. It was to be named ‘St Johns Church’
Adam Dugdale donates land for this purpose – A piece of land of 3469 square yards
used as an orchard on the farm Mr Dugdale owned.
£20 was paid to the Marquis of Salisbury, as Lord of the Manor of West Derby, for the enfranchisement of the land.
Architects: Williams and Edwards
Built by: Richard and Paul Barker, (builders and quarry owners) they used stone from their own quarries in Quarry Road, West Derby, Stoneycroft and Woolton.
First Trustees of St Johns:
1. Adam Dugdale of Dovecot House 2. Thomas Littledale of Highfield 3. Edmund Molyneux of Newsham House 4. John Chrichlow of Molyneux of Staplands & 5. John Worrall of Knotty Ash House |
Cost of Church Erection:
1. Building the church £3150 2. Constructing the vaults £600 3. Enclosing the churchyard £200 4. Any extras, fittings £250 A total of £4200. By the of 1835 they had raised £4185 |
The Foundation stone was laid on June 26th 1834 with the following inscription (engraved on a brass plate laid in the plinth stone):
‘On the 26th Day of June Anno Domini, 1834, the following stone was laid by Adam Dugdale Esq. Of Dovecot House, on land given by him for the erection of this church for the service of the Church of England; it is dedicated to St John the Evangelist, and was built by donations and subscriptions’
Consecration: 18th February 1836 by the bishop of the Diocese (Lord Bishop of Chester) – Right Rev John Bird Sumner
No reasons under the church records as to why it was named after St John the Evangelist
But, it is suggested that as it was built as a ‘chapel of ease’ to its mother church, St Mary, Walton on the Hill, and that St John was chosen due to his relationship to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Much of the above information taken from the book 'Knotty Ash' by Gordon Radley.
Edited by S. Thorpe and R. Southern
‘On the 26th Day of June Anno Domini, 1834, the following stone was laid by Adam Dugdale Esq. Of Dovecot House, on land given by him for the erection of this church for the service of the Church of England; it is dedicated to St John the Evangelist, and was built by donations and subscriptions’
Consecration: 18th February 1836 by the bishop of the Diocese (Lord Bishop of Chester) – Right Rev John Bird Sumner
No reasons under the church records as to why it was named after St John the Evangelist
But, it is suggested that as it was built as a ‘chapel of ease’ to its mother church, St Mary, Walton on the Hill, and that St John was chosen due to his relationship to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Much of the above information taken from the book 'Knotty Ash' by Gordon Radley.
Edited by S. Thorpe and R. Southern