Page:History of the Fylde of Lancashire (IA historyoffyldeof00portiala).pdf/398



"1797.

"Apr. 18. Ordered that the curates of Lund, Warton, Ribby, and Singleton shall not exceed 2 qts. of wine each day they administer the sacrament until further orders."

The first church of Kirkham is commonly said to have been erected by the Saxons on Mill Hill, and subsequently rebuilt on its present site, but as this statement is unsupported by any more reliable evidence than tradition, we give it simply for what it is worth. The earliest authentic word of Kirkham church is in 1512, when the edifice was in part rebuilt; and at that time, and doubtless for centuries before, it occupied the same situation as to-day. After the alterations and renewals had been completed, the building comprised a nave, chancel, and side aisles, separated by stone pillars, on which rested pointed arches. At the west end of the church, throughout its entire width, was erected a gallery, another of less extent being placed at the east end for the accommodation of the organ. The north aisle contained a small gallery belonging to the ffrance family, the private chapel of the Westbys of Mowbreck, and a spacious room or vestry, in which the "Thirty-men" held their meetings. In the south aisle was located the private oratory of the Cliftons, of Westby and Clifton. The chancel extended the width of the nave and south aisle, and in 1780 the Clifton chapel was, with the consent of its proprietor, enclosed within the communion rails. The reading desk stood against the central pillar of the north side of the nave, and immediately above it was placed the pulpit. The north wall was low, and contained several large windows. The whole of the building, with the exception of the chancel, which possessed a double-gabled roof, was covered in by a single roof, which slanted from the south to the north wall, and was pierced at each end with dormer windows. The main entrance was protected by a massive porch.

The tower was probably erected but little later, if not, indeed, at the time the church was rebuilding, as appears from the will here quoted, bearing the date 29th of July, 1512:—"I, Cuthbert Clifton, Squyer, desire to be buryed at Kirkham in the tombe where Rychard Clifton, my great grandfather was buryed; I bequeath £6 13s. 4d. towards buyldyng of the steple of the saide churche."