Liverpool No. 1 / Letherpole / Leuerpoll / Leuerepul / Litherpoole / Liuerpol / Liuerpul / Liverpoole / Lyuerpole / Lytherpole

INFORMATION

FontID: 19357LIV
Church/Chapel: Chapel of St. Mary del Key [or Quay] [demolished]
Church Patron Saints: St. Mary the Virgin
Church Location: [cf. Directions (Geo)]
Country Name: England
Location: Merseyside, North West
Directions to Site: It was located at the present Pier Head until its demolition in 1814; a plaque remains in situ
Ecclesiastic Region: [Diocese of Liverpool]
Historical Region: Hundred of West Derby
Century and Period: 13th century (mid?), Early English
Church Notes: original chapel ca. 1257; demolished 1814
The Victoria County History (Lancaster, vol. 4, 1911) notes a chapel of the mid-13th century, "The building is identified with the chapel of St. Mary del Key (or Quay) which was standing, 'a great piece of antiquity,' used as the free school, in 1673. [...] It was a chapel of ease to Walton, and without any permanent endowment. [...] in 1459 the Bishop of Lichfield granted an indulgence of forty days on the usual conditions to contributors to the restoration of the old chapel of St. Mary del Key and to the maintenance of a chaplain there and of its ornaments, or to those who should devoutly pray before her image. [...] This ancient chapel continued in use until the Reformation, for John Crosse in 1515 made a bequest to 'the priest that sings afore our Lady of the Key. [...] The chapel of St. Mary of the Key, which was a separate building standing on the river bank, a little to the west of St. Nicholas's, also had its altar. [...] There is no means of deciding how many priests and clerks were employed, but the size of the chancel indicates a considerable staff."

REFERENCES

Victoria County History [online], University of London, 1993-. Accessed: 2014-07-15 00:00:00. URL: https://www.british-history.ac.uk.