Building record 523/1/1 - Church of St Mary the Virgin, Lymm

Lymm Church was recorded in the Domesday Survey where Lymm was spelt 'Lime' (1). Possibly a Saxon structure succeeded by a Norman, 14th century and 16th century church (2). Steeple of the church was rebuilt in 1521, and the founder of Warrington Grammar School, Sir Thomas Boteler, contributed to the rebuilding (1). Present church built 1850-52. West tower rebuilt 1888-90. Aisled nave of five bays, north porch, transepts, chancel, vestry, three-stage battlemented west tower with diagonal buttresses.Inside supposed Roman altar in preserved medieval decorated niche in south aisle, but with IW (John Warburton?) carved on head and horseshoe motif on each side of stone (3). Ecclesiastical records confirm existence of earlier churches dating back to Norman times. Church registers date back to 1569 (4).

<1> Carter G A, 1971, Warrington and the Mid-Mersey Valley, /9-11 (Book). SCH3679.

<2> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 59/176-180 Hodgkinson A 1947 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<3> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /2/41 1984 (Report). SCH1934.

<4> Department for the Environment, Various, Provisional List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /2/1/3 1947 (Report). SCH2744.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ68NE9/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<6> Leycester P, 1673, Historical Antiquities of Great Britain Ireland & Cheshire, /309 (Book). SCH1369.