St Cuthbert's Church, Churchtown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Cuthbert's
Saint Cuthbert's Church from the churchyard
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OS grid reference	SD 36526 18638
Location	Churchtown, Merseyside
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone and ashlar
Administration
Deanery	North Meols
Archdeaconry	Warrington
Diocese	Liverpool
Province	York

St Cuthbert's Church is an Anglican church located in Churchtown, Merseyside. Churchtown is a village that is now part of Southport in England. This church is an active parish church. It belongs to the Diocese of Liverpool. English Heritage has given it a special status as a Grade II listed building. Long ago, St Cuthbert's was the main church for the area of North Meols. It was also part of the historic county of Lancashire.

Church History

There has been a church on this spot for a very long time. Records show one existed even before the year 1154, during the time of King Stephen. The church you see today was built between 1730 and 1739. It replaced an older church that had unfortunately burned down.

Some changes were made to the church in 1806. Then, in 1908 and 1909, a famous architect named Isaac Taylor did a lot of restoration work. He changed many parts of the church, including the chancel, which is the area around the altar.

St Cuthbert's is a Grade II listed building. This means it is considered "nationally important and of special interest." It was given this special status on September 21, 1951.

Interesting Features of the Church

The church has some cool features you might like to know about:

• Wooden Carvings: There are wooden carvings that came from St Peter's Church in Liverpool.
• Memorials: You can find many memorials inside. These remember the Fleetwood and Hesketh families. These families used to own a lot of the land around the church. Their family homes were Meols Hall in Churchtown and Greaves Hall in Banks.
• Stained Glass Windows: The beautiful stained glass windows in the church were added in the 20th century.

Protecting the Church from Floods

In the past, the sea near Southport used to flood a lot of the land. People believe that St Cuthbert's Church was built on a small hill. This hill helped protect the church from the rising water. Today, special sea defenses keep Southport and its neighborhoods safe from floods.

The Old Village Stocks

If you visit the church, look to the left of the churchyard entrance. Right next to the church wall on St. Cuthbert's Road, you will see the old village stocks. These stocks were built in 1741. They are a very old and original part of the village. The stocks were used in the past to punish people for small crimes.

The Hesketh Family Connection

The Hesketh family lives in the village's main house, called Meols Hall. This family has a special burial place, called a crypt, right here at St Cuthbert's Church.

Important Graves

Many people believe that William Sutton, who founded the town of Southport, is buried at St Cuthbert's. This is because it is the oldest church in the town.

See also

• Listed buildings in Churchtown, Merseyside