To the north of Church Alley was the site of St. Peter's Anglican church and its graveyard. The first chapel here, by the Lord Street Bridge over The Pool, is recorded in 1680. It was not until 1704 that the church was finally consecrated as St. Peter's. It was a famously ugly church, squat and with an ill-proportioned octagonal tower, although it is seen photographed in a beautiful grove of elms with the (present) Marks & Spencer building across the street. It was the parish church of Liverpool until 1880 when the Anglican bishopric of Liverpool was established. It then became the pro-cathedral and witnessed the enthronement of the first bishop. It was closed in 1910 and demolished between 1919 and 1923. Figures show nearly 85,000 marriages and a staggering 362,000 baptisms in the church. There would no doubt have been many burials but these ceased in 1823. On demolition the remains in the graveyard were removed to Walton Cemetery but there were news reports of labourers seen scandalously playing football with skulls in the graveyard. The church is now remembered by a Maltese Cross set into the paving in Church Street outside the building which has previously been Woolworth's and HMV and will shortly re-open with an integral arcade through to School Lane.

Source:
Toxteth.net

Walk 003 | Home