WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



The Molyneux family of Sefton began to acquire 

 lands here about the middle of the fifteenth century, 

 for which the status of a manor was afterwards 

 claimed. 1 Early landowners were various members of 

 the Kirkdale family,' the Waltons,' Booties," Wiswalls, 5 

 Rixtons, 6 and others. 7 Edward Moore was the only 

 landowner in 1628 contributing to the subsidy. 8 

 The land tax return of 1785 shows that Lord Derby, 

 Thomas Fleetwood, and the executors of John Fletcher, 

 were the chief proprietors. John Leigh, a prominent 



, WALTON 



Liverpool solicitor, leased the estate called Sand Hills' 

 and died there in 1823. 



Before the middle of last century the population 

 had so greatly increased that various places of worship 

 were built. In connexion with the Established 

 Church, St. Mary's, at the north end of the old 

 village, was built in 1835.' St - Lawrence's, erected 

 in 1 88 1, is a chapel of ease. St. Paul's, North Shore, 

 close to the site of Bank Hall, was founded as an 

 Episcopal chapel in 1859 ; it became a parish in 



