The old church books, extracts from which will be given subsequently, contain many entries of sums paid for rushes to strew the pews and aisles, a custom existing here as late as 1813. In the tower is a peal of six bells, with the inscriptions:—
| 1st Bell. | — | “Prosperity to all our Benefactors. | A. R. 1741. | |
| 2nd. ” | — | “Peace and good Neighbourhood. | A. R. 1741. | |
| 3rd. ” | — | “Prosperity to this Parish. | A. R. 1741. | |
| 4th. ” | — | “When us you ring We’ll sweetly sing. | A. R. 1741. | |
| 5th. ” | — | “Able Rudhall Cast us all. | M. T. Gloucester. 1741.” | [75] |
The 6th bell was recast by G. Mears and Company, of London, in 1865, at the sole expense of the Rev. T. Clarke, and is inscribed:—“T. Clarke, M.A., vicar; W. Gaulter, J. T. Bailey, W. Jolly, J. Whiteside, churchwardens.” The original inscription was—“Robert Fishwick, John Wilkinson, William Cookson, James Hull, John Moore, churchwardens.”
About thirty years since the roof of the church was altered and renewed. Notwithstanding the fact that the churchyard has been in constant use for so many centuries very few emblems of antiquity, beyond occasional coins of the Roman era, have ever been discovered in it, and at present, unlike most burial grounds of great age, no specimens of raised letters are to be seen amongst the numerous gravestones, the oldest of which still legible, intimates the resting place of Richard Elston, and has the date 1719. At a short distance, and assisting to flag a side pathway to the south of the church, is another stone, covering the grave of “Richard Brown, of Great Marton, who died the third day of April, 1723”; but neither this nor the foregoing one have any interest beyond their antiquity. The ancient practice of tolling the Curfew-bell is still continued in the winter evenings from the 29th of September to the 10th of March, whilst a pancake bell is rung at 12 o’clock on each Shrove Tuesday.[76]
| VICARS OF POULTON-LE-FYLDE. IN THE DEANERY OF AMOUNDERNESS AND ARCHDEACONRY OF LANCASTER. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of Institution. | Vicars. | On whose Presentation. | Cause of vacancy. |
| In 1431 | Wm. de Croukeshagh | Abbot and Convent of Sion | |
| ” 1442 | Richard Brown | Ditto | |
| Before 1519 | William Bretherton | Ditto | |
| In 1552 | Ranulph Woodward | Edward VI. | |
| Richard Cropper | |||
| ” 1565 | Wm. Wrightington | John Fleetwood, of Penwortham | Death of Richard Cropper |
| ” 1573 | Richard Grenhall | Bridget Fleetwood and William, her son | Death of William Wrightington |
| ” 1582 | Peter Whyte | Edward Fleetwood and William Purston | Death of Richard Grenhall |
| About 1650 | John Sumner | ||
| George Shaw | |||
| In 1674 | Richard Harrison | Richard Fleetwood, of Rossall | Death of George Shaw |
| ” 1718 | Timothy Hall | Edward Fleetwood, of Rossall | Death of Richard Harrison |
| ” 1726 | Robert Loxham | Ditto[77] | Death of T. Hall |
| ” 1749 | Robert Loxham | Roger Hesketh, of Rossall | Resignation of R. Loxham |
| ” 1770 | Thomas Turner | Exors. of Fleetwood Hesketh, of Rossall, by consent of his widow | Death of Robert Loxham |
| ” 1810 | Nathaniel Hinde | Bold Fleetwood Hesketh, of Rossall | Death of Thomas Turner |
| ” 1820 | Chas. Hesketh, M.A. | Peter Hesketh, of Rossall | Cession of N. Hinde |
| ” 1835 | John Hull, M.A. | Rev. C. Hesketh, of North Meols | Resignation of C. Hesketh |
| ” 1864 | Thos. Clarke, M.A. | Ditto | Resignation of J. Hull |
| ” 1869 | William Richardson, M.A. | Ditto | Death of T. Clarke |
Of the earlier vicars mentioned above, nothing is known until we come to the Rev. Peter Whyte, of whose immediate descendants it is recorded that, after his death, they rapidly drifted into poverty, and that one of them, a granddaughter, regularly attended the fairs of Poulton as the wife of a pedlar or hawker. The Rev. Richard Harrison was cousin to Cuthbert Harrison, the Nonconformist divine who suffered ejection, and belonged to the Bankfield family. Until instituted to Poulton, Richard Harrison was curate at Goosnargh. His son Paul gained some celebrity as a controversial writer on matters of ecclesiastical interest.[78] The Loxhams settled at Dowbridge, near Kirkham, and that estate is still held by the family. The Rev. Thomas Turner purchased the living in 1770, when it was worth no more than £75 per annum, for £200, and held it until his death forty years later. The Rev. C. Hesketh, M.A., brother to the late Sir Peter Hesketh Fleetwood, bart., is rector of North Meols and patron of the living. During a portion of the time when he was vicar of Poulton, the Rev. R. Bowness was curate in charge. The Rev. John Hull, M.A., is honorary canon of Manchester, and was examining chaplain to the Right Rev. Prince Lee, D.D., the first bishop of this diocese, by whom he was appointed to the rectory of Eaglescliffe, near Yarm, one of the most valuable livings in his gift. The Rev. Thomas Clarke, M.A., was originally curate at the Parish Church of Preston, and afterwards became incumbent of Christ Church in the same town, which living he resigned on being presented to the vicarage of Poulton.
Subjoined are a number of extracts selected from the old account books of the churchwardens, and in them will be found much that is both interesting and curious:—
“1764.