the Stone building at the Parsonage it being before an old thatched house tho' it had a brave Parlour which he took down, and Recovered as much money from Fletcher's Executors for Delapidation as built the hall.39 The Anarchy times threw him out, and one Adams who fled out of Ireland had the place and profits of the whole Parish,4° to him Succeeded Mr. Harrison, who as was then said, was frighted into his grave at St George Booth's rising for the King, to him Succeeded Mr. Harvey, to him Mr. Alexdr fetherstone, to him Mr. Swinton, to him Mr. forshall.41 When our Parsons went their Procession the Old and Young People dress't in white attended at the Parsonage house and went thrice about Wallazey Cross and down the town, in at Urmson's Yate up Long Ditch Hey down Watts Cabin Hey where they began to sing the Benedicite Opera Omnia, up old field hey and then to a Stone. which stood near the marle pit in Kirby Sytch where was Epistle and Gospel then up Kirby Sytch to another Gospel Stone which Stood at ye foot of the Kirkway in the great Lane that Leads from 39 By "the hall" Robinson must mean the hall of the parsonage, as Wallasey Hall was built in 1604. Dr. Snell built this stone house in 1632, and Thomas Swinton enlarged it in 1695, placing the following inscription thereon:-LATERITIAM HUJUS-CE DOMUS PARTEM THOMAS SWINTON FIERI FECIT ANNO DOM: 1695. Further considerable enlargements were made to the house by Rector Haggitt, who, about 1864, pulled down the Old Hall, and used the materials for a new wing to the Rectory. 66 66 40"The said parsonage (ie., Wallezey) stood sequestred for the delinquencie "of Sr Wm Massey, he being a papist and mainetayning his sonnes in Armes agt the Parliament. The present Parson is one Mr. Adams, placed there by the Comittee of Plundered Ministers, and hath that part of the parsonage "belonging to Sr W. M. assigned to him by an order from the aforesaid "Comittee for the increase of his maintainance for his paynes in that p'ishe, "and he is a gent. well esteemed of. The value of Sir Wm M.'s p'te of the "p'sonage was, in Anno 1641, ffiftie pounds."-Church Survey, 1649-55. 41 John Gorstilowe, appointed 1550; Thomas Fletcher, 1580; George Snell, D.D., 1619; Randle Adams, 1635; Edward Harrison, M.A., 1656; John Harvey, M.A., 1660; Alexander Featherstone, 1661; Thomas Swinton, 1674; John Forshall, B.A., 1702; Charles Aldcroft, B.A., 1718. Mr. Hance gives some interesting information concerning these rectors in Trans. Hist. Soc., vol. xxxv, and a list of the rectors from 1301. Liscard to the hose which was usually Strow'd about with flowers where the Young ones usually play'd. After Gospel read, which Gospel Stone was broken and taken away by Ball afores and part of the ground, where the Sd Flowers were Strewed and reading used, is Walled in by Mr. Runkhorn42 Setting a New Stone Wall and Gate where never was any before, then they Proceeded thro' Liscard fields and had some reading near those butt Ends called the Loons, under Seacombe way, and then to Molleney's door where was usually prepared Ale and Cakes, this was the first Day. The next morning they met there and went to Gaunder43 Young's Alias Alexander Young's where they had reading and Entertainment, this is the 2nd Day. The next morning they met there and proceeded thro' the fields towards Pooltown, and about the middle of Williamson now T. Bird's Platkin Hey read Epistle and Gospel, then to Hough's house now belonging to the School and so to Mr. Dury's now Mr. Bunburrys at both which Last houses they had Entertainment and so brought the Parson home. This walk I have gone along with Mr. fetherstone and Mr. Swinton but not all of a day.44-Extracted from Mr. Robinson's Letter to Mr. Bunbury, 1720. 42 "Sam Runkhorne," churchwarden 1707. 43 Query, Saunder. 44 See Appendix C (The Procession). APPENDIX A. THE CHURCH. The Parish Church of St. Hilary, Wallasey, of two hundred years ago was a very different building from that which now "tops the neighb'ring hill," as well as from that one which was burnt down in the early morning of Sunday, 1st February, 1857. This latter church, built on the foundations and with the materials of its predecessor, was erected about the year 1760 (the new-found volume of churchwardens' accounts may perhaps fix the date), and when destroyed, thirty-five years ago, was found to contain, in the walls, many of the carved stones of the church known to Robinson, and which he mentions as follows: "This Wally had his Kirk of two bays of build"ings in the new Church Yard between the Steeple "and Hall, the foundation whereof is still to be "found. (See Note 15.) Lees Kirk After "fell and Wally's wanted a priest. "the discontinuance of the Kirk as aforesd all the "incolants agreed to carry all the materials of Lee's "Kirk to Wally's and build one greater Kirk which "is the present Church tho' built at severall times, "as it were in Cantils. Wally's Coat of Arms is in "the window next to the south door in red glass. When this present church was built "being built at severall times as aforesd several "strangers came and worked some a week some a fortnight, at their own proper charges, and went away without any pay or reward. More particu"lar one man as a Master Workman and others "dependant on him came and got stone and "dresst them and built that Arch of the Church next to Birds, Gills, and Balls forms, the workmanship being different from the other arches, |