Interesting headstones of Newton families

[She]

I found some of the McCorqoudale family buried in St Peters Church recently. So just thought I would share......

However the first one is one of my family (the Morts) and I think the mason has tried to get an image of St Peters church on the stone. I must say,,,,havent come across a headstone with a carving of a church on it before. Is it St Peters???

Anyone found any other headstones of interest,

[Steven]

Hi She

I have a photo also which I took of this stone a few years ago, I believe it is St Peters, Just an earlier version of the church, it started off with just a round top at the front and a bell tower, then went a little wider with two taller spires on either side sometime around 1835, I think its that version which has been stylized onto the headstone.

There was a period between sometime 1835 and 1890 where the bell tower section in the middle was removed and rebuilt as it was likely to collapse, so I wonder if the burial was from this period as it doesnt seem to have any bell or small bell tower section in the middle of the church on the headstone.

1835-St-Peters.jpg

1890-St-Peters.jpg

Steven Dowd

[She]

I have a photo of the bottom half of the "headstone with the Church". I can hardly read it but I think its says 1856.

Does this fit in with the time period you expected Steven?

[Steven]

I think thats a bit early, but discussions were being undertaken at that period for the reshaping of the church, so maybe they were planning ahead and showing the church as they thought it might end up looking ?

Heres some text that I have put together about St Peters, Its from my notes on an article I have been putting together on the history of the church.

St Peters

In 1855, the church was closed for repairs (the providing of pews, etc.), and the room used as a Sunday-school for girls (the Assembly-room, now the Town Hall) was temporarily licensed for Divine Service.

Extracts from Wardens' Book :
1855-6. By cash paid for licensing schoolroom for Divine Service during alterations and repairs, £1 11s. 6d.

By cash paid Mr. Thomas Stone for repairing roof of Church and pointing ridging stones, etc., with cement, altering flue of Vestry chimney, and sundry repairs after fire, £4 14s.

In 1865, the Rev. Herbert Monk was appointed curate under the Rev. Thomas Whitley, and in that year a movement was made for replacing the old church by a new and enlarged one on ground then vacant near Lord Newton's estate offices.

"The movement, having been stimulated by offers of substantial help from the patron of the living, and from the head of the largest firm, culminated in a public meeting called to consider the question on the second day of August in that year; but the meeting led to no further results, and the subject slept."

The condition of the building-fabric which a few years previously called forth from the architect of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England the remark that "the church only needed four new walls and a roof" was now reported upon by another architect, when the belfry was' pronounced so insecure that the Vicar, at his own expense and on his own responsibility, had an iron band placed round it ; and even then the architect declared that he could not guarantee its stability for many years.

In 1881 not withstanding the previous strengthening of the belfry by an iron band - so unanimous an opinion was given by many practical men of its perilous condition that the wardens had no other option than to discontinue the ringing of the bell. The Diocesan Architect and Surveyor was thereupon called in to report on the matter, and in doing so submitted a design for a new belfry, and expressed an opinion that, if the structure was not taken down forthwith, the next storm might bring it down ; also that the west wall would not bear the vibration of the bell, and that he would not incur the responsibility of placing any additional weight upon the roof.

At the Easter Vestry of the same year, a lengthy discussion took place concerning the dangerous condition of the bell turret. Several proposals were made, but for some cause or other fell through, until at length it was moved, seconded, and carried unanimously "That a professional opinion be obtained from Mr. Pierpoint, of Warrington, to ascertain whether a belfry can in any way be erected conformably with the safety of the church, and the opinion be submitted to an adjourned meeting to be held in a fortnight." A sub-committee was also appointed to meet Mr. Pierpoint.

At the adjourned meeting a report and designs were submitted, in which the architect proposed to spring an arch between the north and south pinnacles, and so to add to the thickness and strength of the west wall, and the belfry turret to be built on the apex of the arch—the alterations to cost about £300. Thereupon a resolution was moved and seconded to the effect "That the design recommended by the architect, with an alteration in the position of the clock, be adopted," which was carried unanimously.

The following month a faculty was obtained, at the Chancellor's Court in Liverpool, permitting the proposed repairs in the fabric of the church. The whole matter then resolved itself into a question of ways and means, the expense, including architect's fees, etc., being estimated at between £400 and £500, of which amount half had been already subscribed.

The above and other extensive alterations (consisting of the new bell turret, a new pine ceiling, beautifying of the interior, cleaning and repairing of the organ, and asphalting of the walks) were carried out during the years 1884-7.

So as you can see there were active discussions concerning the alterations of the church at the time the gravestone was laid, so it might have reflected a view of the church which was proposed at the time. but which didn't actually get built / altered untill some 30 yrs later than the stone was laid on the grave

Steven Dowd

[She]

I found this on my OWN website when I did a Google search (Duhhhhh)!
It confirms the date as 1856.

INSCRIPTIONS FROM ST PETERS CHURCH NEWTON LE WILLOWS

I.M.O. JOHN MORT
( Gap )
MARY his wife
( Gap )
ANN their daughter died
Jan'y 17th 1839 aged 13 months

( A large ledger with two lifting lugs set within. Also a castle or church engraved at the top of the stone - probably the remnants of a vault)
I.M.O.
the late ELLEN MORT
of Preston Junction
who departed this life
February 23rd 1856
aged 45 years
How well thy blessed truths agree
how wise and holy thy command
thy promises how firm they be
how firm our hope and comfort stands
fear him ye saints and you will then
have nothing else to fear
make you his service your delight
he'll make your wants his care

[She]

Oh - I also took a photo of this corner stone on the front tower -
Seems like Herbert Monk had been a vicar there 24 or 29 years when the new tower was built. So any idea when he first became vicar?

Your website says:

1871 Herbert Monk, M.A. (Trin. Coll. Camb.)

Which I guess would put the new tower as being built between 1895 and 1900.

I just find it interesting that a remote ancestor of mine (distant cousin many times removed) has an image of St Peters Church on their headstone so many years before the church fashioned this design. Curious and curious!

PS: In the older design- the black clock is on the front so it must have been moved to the back when the latest St Peters was rebuilt. Anyone been down those vaults??????

However if you study the image on the grave it is not identical to the image of the church (as in this photo) -

[Steven]

I just find it interesting that a remote ancestor of mine (distant cousin many times removed) has an image of St Peters Church on their headstone so many years before the church fashioned this design.

If the grave with the church carved upon it is 1865, and in 1855, the church was closed for repairs, I don't think it would have been odd for people to have discussed major changes, maybe the Mort family were confident that the changes would go ahead, and had a church put on the grave which they thought would match the discussed changes, or maybe even the stone mason just found it easier to carve just the two outside stone piers and didnt find it possible to also carve the centre clock one?

It is an odd grave though, when I looked at it, it seemed the carving of the church on the front of it is not the same stone as the lid, so maybe this was added or altered at some later date?

Steven Dowd