WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



carried by iron columns, with a plain octagonal font 

 beneath it. 



The chapel forms the north-east angle of a group 

 of buildings, a row of almshouses adjoining it on the 

 west, and a vestry and school building on the south- 

 east. It is to be noted that the centre of the east 

 window is 9 in. to the south of the centre line of the 

 chapel, the error being probably one of setting-out 

 only, but there may have been some reason for it, 

 such as to provide extra space for the niche holding 

 the statue of the patron saint, which would be set up 

 on the north side of the window. 



A chantry was founded in the new chapel at 

 Lathom,to which a hospital was attached, by Thomas 

 second earl of Derby in 1500.' In 1509 it was 

 formally sanctioned by the bishop of Lichfield, the 

 chapel to be consecrated by Huan, bishop of Sodor. 2 

 In 1548 the priest, John Moody, was fulfilling his 

 duties according to the founder's wishes, and as the 

 chapel was three miles from the parish church of 

 Ormskirk he had licence to minister sacraments and 

 sacramentals there for the benefit of the neighbour- 

 hood. 3 



The foundation, so far as concerned the almshouse, 

 either escaped destruction in 1 547-8 or was soon 

 refounded. In 1614 it was described as a 'small 

 chapel to Ormskirk,' served by ' a curate with a 

 small pension.' 4 The minister has usually been styled 

 the Almoner. In 1650 the almsmen sent to the 

 Parliamentary Commissioners a protest against the 

 confiscation of their endowment, although it was 

 derived from lands of the earl of Derby. 5 



In October, 1686, an inquiry was held at Wigan 

 as to the earl of Derby's right to dismiss the master 

 or almoner ; William Norris, clerk, who had been 

 frequently absent from duty and otherwise neglectful, 

 claiming a freehold. The earl's right appears to have 

 been upheld. 6 



ORMSKIRK 



In 1827 the Charity Commissioners found that 

 thirteen poor persons by ancient custom received 

 } 6s. yearly apiece ; six of these pensioners lived in 

 the almonry. The chapel attached was a domestic 

 chapel, but was attended by residents in the neigh- 

 bourhood who had permission to do so. The 

 minister was nominated by the owner of Lathom 

 House ; the bishop of the diocese had no juris- 

 diction.' 



A settlement of the endowment was made in 1845, 

 when a rent-charge of 145, issuing from a messuage 

 called Pennington in Upholland, was granted. There 

 are thirteen pensioners, each receiving $ 6s. a year ; 

 the chapel clerk has 3, and the chaplain or almoner 

 the rest. The chapel is used for ordinary services as 

 well as a domestic chapel. 8 



The church of St. John the Baptist stands at 

 Burscough Bridge, but is situated on the Lathom side 

 of the township boundary. It was begun in 1827 

 and opened in 1832, the cost being defrayed partly 

 by a parliamentary grant. 9 The district chapelry was 

 constituted in 1 847. '" St. James's, Lathom, was built 

 in 1850 by the earl of Derby ; a district chapelry 

 was assigned to it ten years later." Christ Church, 

 Newburgh, was built in 1857, and a new parish was 

 formed in 1871." 



There are Wesleyan chapels at Hoscar Moss and 

 Moss Lane, but the Independent chapel formerly at 

 Ashbrow, Newburgh, has disappeared. 



Burscough Hall, now belonging to St. John's Roman 

 Catholic church, is said to have taken its name from 

 the Burscough family.' 3 The house, in the seventeenth 

 century the property of the Longs," recusants, was in 

 1667 granted to Peter Lathom of Bispham, founder of 

 the now very important Lathom charity, who early in 

 1700 leased it for 999 years at a rent of 10 to John 

 Heyes. u This was in trust for the mission. About this 

 time Thomas Gorsuch, eldest son of James Gorsuch, of 



