In 1822 the nave of the church was pulled down and rebuilt by aid of a rate imposed on all the townships; an inscription commemorating this event was placed over the arch of the old chancel. The tower and spire as they now exist were erected in 1844, whilst the present chancel was built in 1853. The spire and tower together have an altitude of one hundred and fifty feet, and the foundation stone of the latter was laid by Thomas Clifton, esq., of Lytham, on the 21st of November, 1843. The tower contains a peal of eight bells, but none of them are of ancient date, those alluded to in the records of the “Thirty-men” having been sold and replaced by fresh ones. The modern church of Kirkham, which, like its predecessor, is dedicated to St. Michael, is a large and handsome structure, built of Longridge stone, and capable of holding about eighteen hundred persons; the chancel is ornamented with a castellated parapet and fluted cornice. A stone coffin, which may be seen outside the church at the east, was taken out of the ground when the chancel was rebuilt. In 1725 the sum of £500 was left in trust by William Grimbaldson, M.D., to be expended in the purchase of land and other property, the income from which had to be devoted to providing a suitable person or persons to read prayers twice every day of the week except Sunday, in the parish church of Kirkham; in the event of this condition of the bequest not being fulfilled, it was decreed by the will that the annual interest of the money should be distributed amongst the poor housekeepers of Treales; so far, however, the requirement of the trust has been conformed to, and prayers are still read twice daily in the church.
Within the ancient church of Kirkham, doubtless in the Clifton chapel, was a chantry founded during the fifteenth century by Richard Clifton, of Clifton, who married Alice, the daughter of John Butler, of Rawcliffe Hall; and called the chantry of the “Holy Crucifix,” as well as that of “Our Blessed Laydy.” The commissioners of Henry VIII. issued the following report concerning it:—
“The Chauntrie in the paroche Church of Kirkeham.
“Thomas Prymbet preyst Incumbent there of the foundation of the antecessors of Sʳ Thomas Clifton, knight, to celebrate there for their sowles and all crysten sowles.
“The same is at the altar of our lady wᵗhin the paroche church of Kirkham, and the said Incumbent doth celebrate there accordinglie.”
| Sum totall of the rentall | £6 | 0s. | 11d. |
| “Whereof— | |||
| “Payde to Sir Henry ffarington, knight, as farmour to the kynge, our Sovereigne lord, of Penwarden fee, for chief rente goynge forthe of the lands in ffryklyngton, by yere | 4d. | ||
| “Payde to the Kinges Majestie, to the handes of the receyvour of his late Monasteyre of Vale Royall, goynge forthe of the burgages in Kirkeham, by yere, in Christenmes and Mydsomur, | 7s. | 6d. | |
| “Sum of the reprises | 7s. | 10d. | |
| “And so remayneth | £5 | 13s. | 1d.” |
This chantry was in existence in 1452, for in that year, when the abbot and convent of Vale Royal presented Dom. Edmund Layche to the vicarage, the archdeacon instructed John Clarke, the chaplain of the chantry, to induct him.[160] Thomas Prymbett, the officiating priest, was sixty years of age in 1548, and at that date the town and parish of Kirkham contained 1700 “houselinge people.” Five years later Thomas Prymbett received a pension of £5.[161] His death occurred in 1564.
At the dissolution of monasteries, the chantry of Kirkham church was mulcted in an annual rent of 6s. 2d., which was ordered to be paid to the receiver of the Duchy. A lease of the lands appertaining to the chantry was granted to Lawrence Pembroke for a term of sixteen years.
In 1291 the living of Kirkham church was estimated in the Valor of Pope Nicholas at £160 per annum, but at the dissolution aforesaid it was valued at no more than £21 1s. 0½d. per annum.