West Kirby


At the time of the Domesday Survey, in 1086, West Kirby belonged to a Robert de Rodelent, to whom it was granted after the Norman conquest. De Rodelent is known to have enjoyed surrounding himself with French courtiers and often made them extensive grants of land. One such grant, which was later to be confirmed by King William in 1081, was the land and church at West Kirby to the Abbey of St. Ebruf in Normandy.

Later, both the town and the church were sold to the Abbey of St. Werburga in Chester - subject to an annual rent of 30 UK Pounds.

During the 12th century, the manor was seized by the Earls of Chester and given to the Abbey at Basingwerk in Flintshire, Wales. About the year 1200, however, the monks of St. Werburga claimed their ancient rights and a battle took place within the walls of the church. The monks of Basingwerk were defeated and the Abbot of St. Werburga reclaimed possesion.


An old mill, which was used as a landmark for mariners wishing to navigate into the River Mersey or into the (by now, very shallow) Hoyle Lake was destroyed in a storm in 1839 and was replaced by a sixty foot high column bearing the following inscription:
This column was erected by the trustees of the Liverpool Docks,by the permission of 
John Shaw Leigh, Esq, owner of the land,who also gave the stone for its erection,
AD 1841, as a beacon formariners frequenting the Mersey and its vicinity.
[Photograph]
In 1636, William Glegg, built a grammar school on his land of Calday Grange. It was a simple building consisting of a single room and it was demolished in 1861. The Hoylake School was built in 1836 and, by 1861, the Calday school had only six pupils.

A new school was built on a larger site by John Shaw Leigh - this is the present Caldy Grange Grammar School.

Photographs:


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