North Meols / Churchtown / Nordmele / Northmeles / Otegrimele / Otringemele

There are two entries for [North] Meols [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SD3419/north-meols/] [accessed 25 June 2014], neither of which mentions a church or cleric in it. The Victoria County History (Lancaster, vol. 3, 1907) notes: "The known history of the church goes back to the time of King Stephen [i.e., 1135-1154], when Warin Bussel granted it to Evesham, the abbey to provide a chaplain." The VCH (ibid.) reports all other churches here as modern. According to the Parish LAN [www.lan-opc.org.uk/North-Meols/index.html] [accessed 5 October 2011] the register for baptisms at St Cuthbert starts in 1594. Hartwell & Pevsner (2009) report a "strong baluster" font of the 18th century in this church. The present church is chiefly 18th-century, but a medieval church in North Meols is believed to have existed prior to the Conquest. The Church of England web site [www.achurchnearyou.com/north-meols-st-cuthbert/] [accessed 5 October 2011] notes: "North Meols was mentioned in the Domesday Book and the first Rector, Adam the Clerk is known to have been here in 1178." [NB: we have no information on the medieval font]