Woodchurch (Holy Cross)
WOODCHURCH (Holy Cross), a parish, in the union, and Lower division of the hundred, of Wirrall, S. division of Cheshire; containing, in 1841, with the townships of Arrowe, Barnston, Landican, Noctorum, Oxton, Pensby, Prenton, Thingwall, and part of Irby, 1409 inhabitants, of whom 114 were in Woodchurch township, 4½ miles (S. W. by W.) from Birkenhead. This parish comprises 5526 acres, and, like many others in the hundred of Wirrall, probably abounded with oaktrees, though at present there is but little of that species of timber in the neighbourhood. The name appears to be descriptive of the situation of the church either in, or contiguous to, a wood. The church is a highly interesting Norman edifice, consisting of a nave, chancel, and an aisle on the south side, with a handsome embattled tower. The porch and aisle were rebuilt in the early part of the reign of Henry VIII.; and in 1844 the church was restored to its original style by the rector, the Rev. Joshua King, M.A., at his own expense. The east and west windows are of richly painted glass, brought from one of the monasteries suppressed at the French revolution. At the east end of the south aisle is an ornamental window commemorative of the death of Mrs. George King, and one of her sons who died on the passage out to Bombay. The pews and other wood-work are of split oak, terminating in poppy-heads curiously carved and of great antiquity; the font is almost unique, of exquisite design, and emblematically sculptured. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £25. 9. 2.; patron, the Rector, in whose family the advowson has been for some centuries: the tithes have been commuted for £950. 19., exclusive of the glebe and Easterofferings. William Gleave, alderman of London, in 1665 left £500 for the erection and endowment of a free school, of which the master has an income of £57. 15. per annum; and there are several charitable bequests, the interest of which is distributed in bread to the poor. Two trusts for providing cows for poor parishioners, are productive of incalculable benefit: the number of cows at present is 55.See Oxton, &c.
Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.