Sefton church was founded in 1170 by the Molyneux family, the local landowners. There is no trace of the original church beyond a few carved fragments. The tower and steeple and part of the north aisle remain from a 14th century reconstruction. The bulk of the church; chancel, nave, aisles and porch date from the early 16th century.
There was major restoration work in the 19th century and particularly in the early 20th century. The latter work was undertaken by the noted church architect, William Caroe and this included a fine carved ceiling, restoration of the rood screen and a new choir vestry.
The church contains some of the finest Tudor furnishings anywhere in the country with a set of elaborately carved screens, choir stalls and pews. There is a wealth of monuments ranging from 16th century brasses of the Molyneux family to the neoclassical memorial to William Blundell of 1807.
The Friends of Sefton Church care for the day to day maintenance of the building, and raise funds towards those tasks which need more professional detailed attention. Friends members receive a magazine three times a year to keep them in touch with major developments and events, and historical articles about the church and its surroundings. Please contact Terry Cave, Chair of the Friends for further information
Family Research and Graveyard Enquiries
If you are interested in having research carried out to locate family buried at Sefton Church, please do email Jane Cave. Please furnish us with as much detail as possible.
Please note that there is a fee of £32 per hour or part thereof for the research as per Church of England Statutory Fees. Baptism Certificate copies can be provided – there is a statutory charge for this. Wedding Certificate copies must be applied for online