252 Communications. hospitals of Spital and Denny, and the chapels of Moreton, and the traditions respecting the two lost chapels of Wallasey, have never been fully investigated ; and possibly we may have to add to these the traces of chapels at Thurstaston and Brimstage Halls, and the mysterious graveyard at Sutton Grange. The groined apartment in Brimstage Hall is said to be the chapel, and it bears traces of such a purpose ; the indications, therefore, of an independent building, if this be a chapel, suggests that its use was parochial. EDWARD W. Cox. NOTES BY THE HON. LOCAL SECRE TARY EOR SEPHTON DISTRICT. THE OLD CHAPEL AT MAGHULL, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE " UNSWORTH CHAPEL." THIS Chapel, dedicated to St. Andrew, a very curious specimen of Gothic work, is in the parish of Halsall, and at present consists of chancel and north aisle, separated by two arches resting on a round central pillar and two round responds. In the chancel are sedilia, which have had wooden fittings, now gone, and a mutilated piscina. The chancel arch is destroyed and blocked up, but on the north side the jamb and mutilated capital and springing are traceable. There is a roundheaded arch, formerly entering the north chancel aisle from the nave ; it is chamfered and unmoulded and is carried on semi-octagon shafts with capitals,
Notes from Scphton District. 253 whose mouldings show them to be late ijth or early I4th century. This arch has been made into a door. A careful comparison of the mouldings appears to indicate that the building does not date earlier than 1285 to 1290, in spite of the Norman-looking round arch, which, oddly enough, has the most distinct I3th century detail in the moulding. The north aisle capitals omit one member of the usual series of mouldings in a capital of this date, or rather, abacus and bell are somewhat rudely grouped into one feature. While the arcade shafts are round (one early feature) the round arch is carried by semi-octagons (a later character of shaft.) The south windows seem much later in style than the east window of the north aisle, which has uncusped intersecting tracery. The design and planning of the building are very good ; the execution of the whole very coarse. There are no masons' marks on any of the stones: leading one to think that, while the builders of the chapel got a good plan from a master mason, the work was clone by not highly-skilled local men. There is a Georgian baptismal font built in the wall over the modern west door of the chancel, and a prism-shaped holy-water font close to the same door, set on a fragment of a circular pillar. On the east wall of the chancel is a trace of a mural painting, not unlike the conventional wing of an angel. The north chapel has in it a hatchment of " Molyneux-Seel," ' and is now used as a mortuary chapel by the owner of Maghull manor house. The 1 8th century nave of Maghull chapel was pulled down after 1880, when the new Church of St. Andrew was built (consecrated by the Bishop of Liverpool on the 8th September in that year.) 1 The amis of this family are given in Oregon's Friiguietifs, ej. 1869, pp. 227 and 250.
'254 Communications. Richard Halsall, Rector of Halsall, by his will, dated the 5th Aug., 1561, proved I4th Oct., 1563, gave, towards the reparation of Maghull Chapel, " x\' ie shillings." J Into one of the walls of Maghull manor house (an 18th century red brick residence close to Sefton station), have been built some old stones from Maghull chapel, in the shape of an arch, resting on two round stucco pillars (in the case of one of these pillars the old stone-work is probably covered with stucco, for uniformity's sake), and in the centre of the brick-work filling up the arch is a stone bearing the following inscription : Remains of an anticnt arch Found buried in the foundation of Maghull old Church consisting of two double springers one cap and eleven arch stones purchased and erected here A.I). 1885. " There are also some old tooled stones, and part of a baptismal or holy-water font, below the arch, and half the head of a small plain Norman window. Over one of the doors into the manor house on the south side is a stone with initials and date as follows : M K A 1638 W M In the orchard is an old stone building, with a slanting roof and a door facing south, over which is a stone with initials and a date, as follows : M R K 1667 * CilCt. -SOI':, VOi. li. p. 38.
Noies from ScpJifon District. 255 The interior of this building has been plastered with white plaster, and on the surface bricks are lined out in red paint. There is a sun-dial on the lawn in front of the manor house, with the following motto and date : " Volveiula dies Lat: 53 25" 1748" "Brown fecit" (on the side of the gnomon). The chapel house at Maghull, nearly opposite the old chapel, is a good example of early i/th century architecture, with long square mullioned windows. That of the north end is transomcd and is a large window. The key-stone of the arched door is ornamented with a pendent in the soffit. The sun-dial in the chapel-yard of Alaghull chapel bears the following inscription : ' John Rose John Almond Chapehvardens, 1781 Harrison Liverpool." THE OLD SUN-DIAL AT THORNTON. The stone-work of the pedestal on which this dial stands was repaired in June, 1891, by Air. Jas. Roscoe, clerk of works at Kirkby, at the sole cost of the right hon. the Earl of Sefton, K.G., who is the lord of the manor. As far as possible the old stones were reversed and re-cut, and in several places, where it was found absolutely necessary, new stones (red sandstone) were inserted, and the gnomon was re-set. The inscription on this dial is nearly illegible, the only letters decipherable being, "Tho" D.... tt." ST. HELEN'S WELL AT SEFTON. A wooden canopv, from designs by Air. John
256 Communications. Douglas of Chester, was placed over this well during the summer of 1891 ; the sides of the well were re-built and a reservoir made, so that some of the adjacent cottages could be supplied with water. The work was carried out under the superintendence of Mr. James Roscoe, and at the sole cost of the Earl of Sefton, K.G. NKTIIKRTON GREEN. The green was surrounded with railings and the old mounting-block repaired, by Mr. James Roscoe, at the cost of the Earl of Sefton, K.G., a few years back. This mounting-block was originally erected, some years ago, for the convenience of the late Earl of Sefton. when out hunting with his harriers. WILLIAM E. GREGSON.