Sentence of Consecration

 

Extract from the sentence of consecration of the new chapel of St. Mary, Edge Hill. Dated September the 25th 1813.

 

‘IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. Whereas by reason of the great increase of inhabitants within the Parish of Walton in the County of Lancaster and Diocese of Liverpool the Parish Church of Walton aforesaid, not being sufficiently capacious conveniently to contain the inhabitants of the said Parish usually frequenting Divine Service nor the Yard of the said Parish large enough for the decent interment of the corpses or dead bodies of persons dying within the said Parish and by reason thereof the inhabitants residing at or near to Edge Hill within the said Parish of Walton being very much in want of a convenient Church or Chapel for the public worship of Almighty God according to the Liturgy of the United Church of England and Ireland and of a convenient place for the Christian burial of the dead EDWARD MASON of Edge Hill aforesaid, Esquire in order to accommodate the said inhabitants and to promote the public worship of Almighty God according to the Liturgy of the United Church of England and Ireland and to provide a convenient place of interment for dead, contacted and agreed with BAMBER GASCOYNE of Childwall in the said County of Lancaster, Esquire, for the absolute sale, and conveyance of a certain piece, parcel or portion of ground situate and being on Edge Hill aforesaid and within the Parish of Walton aforesaid, in trust for a Chapel to be by the said EDWARD MASON erected upon, part thereof to be set apart as a Chapel Yard or place of Christian burial and by the consent and approbation of JOHN LEIGH of Liverpool of the said County of Lancaster, Esquire and Patron of the Rectory and Parish Church of Walton aforesaid and the Reverand SAMUEL HEATHCOTE, Vicar of the Parish and Parish Church aforesaid. The said BAMBER GASCOYNE did by indenture, duly executed and enrolled in the High Court of Chancery, grant and convey to EDWARD MASON, CROSSFIELD WILLIAM WHITE, JOHN LEIGH, THOMAS WOOSVILLE and JAMES NAYLOR all of Liverpool aforesaid, Merchants, WILLIAM BRIGGS of Liverpool aforesaid, Doctor of Medicine and JOHN SHAW LEIGH of the same place, gentlemen and their heirs and assigns for ever a certain piece, parcel or portion of land situated and being in Edge Hell aforesaid and on the said indenture particularly described upon Trust they they should with all convenient speed erect and build upon part thereof a substantial and commodious Chapel or Edifice intended for a Chapel and furnish and adorn the same as and a Chapel according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the United Church of England and Ireland and also to enclose and fence other part of the said ground round the site of the said intended Chapel or Edifice with a firm and substantial wall with convenient gates or doors thereon as and for ways and passages to the said ground and edifice’.