A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



shows above the knees. It is possible, as has been 

 already suggested elsewhere, that the figure represents 

 his actual appearance at Flodden, in old armour 

 hastily chosen from among the suits at Sefton on the 

 sudden alarm of war. 



On an altar tomb just south of this slab, and 

 balancing the tomb of Lady Joan Molyneux on the 

 other side of the chancel, are the brass figures of Sir 

 Richard Molyneux, 1558, and his two wives, Eleanor 

 (Radcliffe) and Eleanor (Maghull). Below is a 

 rhyming inscription in eight lines and a group of five 

 sons and eight daughters. Of the marginal inscrip- 

 tion there only remains enough to identify the tomb. 



In the south-east chapel are later monuments, one 

 of white marble to Caryll Molyneux, third viscount, 

 1 700, and others to his wife and daughter-in-law. 



The most notable of the modern monuments is 

 that of Henry Blundell of Ince, who died in 1810 ; 

 it was designed by John Gibson and represents the 

 deceased relieving Genius and Poverty. 1 



The church plate consists of a chalice with the 



letters E if M an <^ trie inscription ' The gift 

 of Mrs. Alice Morton to the church of Sephton, 

 1695 ' ; a flagon, inscribed 'The gift of Mrs. Anne 

 Jackson of Sephton, 1715' ; another chalice, with 

 ' The gift of Mrs. Ann Molyneux to the parish church 

 of Sephton, 1729,' and among the plate marks B.B. 

 for Benjamin Branker, a Liverpool silversmith ; a 

 cylindrical cup with handle, engraved with a crest 

 of three arrows, tied with ribbon, and the points 



resting on a wreath ; and a silver paten, which fits 

 an old silver chalice now at St. Luke's, Great 

 Crosby. 



The churchwardens' accounts begin in 1 746.' 

 The registers begin in 1597, but were not regu- 

 larly kept until 1615, from which time they are 

 continuous. 8 



From its position the parish of 

 ADVQWSON Sefton appears to have been taken 

 from that of Walton. The earliest 

 record of its independent existence is in 1203, when 

 the abbot of Combermere and others, by virtue of a 

 commission from Innocent III, adjudicated in a dis- 

 pute as to certain tithes in Crosby between the prior 

 of Lancaster and the rector of Sefton. 4 In 1291 

 the value of the benefice was 26 13*. 4</., 6 and in 

 1 340 it was assessed at 40 marks for the ninth of 

 sheaves, lambs, and wool. 6 The net value in 1535, 

 including the rectory house, was 30 is. &J.' By 

 1718 this had increased to 300," and now the gross 

 value is said to be 1,300.' 



The Molyneux family, as lords of Sefton, were the 

 patrons, 10 until after the Revolution, when Caryll, 

 Lord Molyneux, being disqualified by his religion 

 from presenting, sold the advowson to a connexion, 

 George, earl of Cardigan. 11 It is found in a list of 

 the Molyneux properties made in 1770, but had been 

 finally disposed of in 1 747 to the Rev. James Roth- 

 well, vicar of Deane," whose representatives, the trustees 

 of the late marquis de Rothwell, of Sharpies Hall, 

 are the present patrons. 13 



The following is a list of the rectors : 



Instituted 

 oc. 1203 . 

 oc. 1288 . . 



c. 1310 . . 



9 May, 1339 



Richard 14 . ... 

 William de Kirkdale 15 

 Richard de Molyneux ' 

 Gilbert de Legh " . 



Ric. de Molyneux . 



Cause of Vacancy 



d. of Richard 



