St. John the Evangelist

I was doing a bit of research the other day, looking into a local mansion, situated on what was once Mock Beggars Lane, in the Dovecot area of the city. We now know it as ‘Finch Lane’… This mansion, called Finch House, was built in 1776, and took 7 years to complete, quite an epic time… this was because Richard Gildhart, the owner, insisted that the house should be constructed from the finest materials available…

Finch House… on Finch Lane

1909 map

Successive members of the family lived in the house, for nearly 150 years, until it was sold back to Lord Derby, along with its lands. The house was demolished in 1912. However, some aspects of it were saved… A lot of the fine panelling and and other wooden features, found there way into Lord Derby’s own Mansion, Knowsley Hall… but a more public piece, for general viewing, is… one of the oak canopies, of the house, which was given to the parish church of St. John the Evangelist at Knotty Ash, to construct the Church’s Lichgate.

The Lichgate

The Church, on Thomas Lane, was built around the mid 1830’s, and has many graves of note, in Liverpool historical terms. The graveyard also contains, a number of Commonwealth War Graves from both World Wars. There is also a particularly fine Celtic Cross, just past the Lichgate on the right. The original ‘finials’ of the church, which were situated around the roof, were removed some years ago, in case they fell, have been stored in the church’s crypt.

St. John the Evangelist