WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



threat of a fresh outbreak of persecution as a result of 

 the Gates plot appears to have broken the resolution 

 of ' Mr. Norris of Derby,' who conformed to the 

 legally established religion in 1 68 1. 1 Norris Green 

 is supposed to indicate the site of their estate. 



The Moores 2 and Crosses' of Liverpool had lands 

 here about 1600. The Dwerryhouse family also 

 occur. 4 In 1631 Robert Fazakerley 5 and Robert 

 Mercer 6 of West Derby paid 10 each on declining 

 knighthood. About the same time George Standish 

 had an estate here, which the Parliamentary authori- 

 ties sequestered for recusancy ; he died in 1653, and 

 his son and heir James, who was ' no recusant ' and 

 very poor, petitioned for a restoration, which was at 

 last granted. 7 



The freeholders of 1600, in addition to families 

 already mentioned, were Robert Longworth and 

 Robert Bower. 8 The landowners of 1628 contribut- 

 ing to the subsidy were Robert Fazakerley, Andrew 

 Norris, Hugh Rose, Ralph Mercer, and Hugh Riding. 9 

 Some other names occur among the sequestrations of 

 the Commonwealth period. 10 



WALTON 



The hearth tax of 1662 shows a number of 

 residents styled ' Mr.' viz : Richard Molyneux, Robert 

 Mercer, James Standish, Richard Lathom, Hugh 

 Rose, William Holme, and Joshua Ambrose the 

 curate. John Lyon and Alice Rycroft had houses of 

 five and four hearths respectively." 



Among the ' papists ' who registered estates in 1717 

 were the following connected with this township : 

 William Lancaster of Ormskirk, Richard Whittle, 

 Margaret Pye, and Robert Chantrell." 



The first distinct allusion to the chapel 



CHURCH of West Derby occurs in the middle 

 of the fourteenth century. 13 About a 

 century later there is mention of its reparation, 14 and 

 in 1494 Henry VII allowed five marks out of the 

 issues of the manor towards the maintenance of a 

 chapel for the celebration of divine service within the 

 lordship. 15 The next time it occurs is in connexion 

 with the spoliations of the Reformation period. 16 

 During the succeeding century its history is obscure ; 

 probably the new services were maintained more or 

 less regularly, a ' reading minister ' being supplied, as 



