Formby United Reformed Church
Formby, Merseyside
Our church was formed September 1881 as a member of the Congregational Union until 1972, when it became a church in the United Reformed Church.
The earliest record of a church or chapel on the site is in a lease dated 1429. In the 17th century the church is said to have been of timber and plaster but in the 1740s it was destroyed by fire and a new church was consecrated in 1747. This was said to have been a small brick building with a cupola containing one bell and a very plain interior. In 1878-79 that church was demolished and the present church was built by John Douglas at the expense of the 4th Earl of Sefton.
The church is half timbered on a brick plinth with a red tile roof. It has been suggested that timber framing was used not only for aesthetic reasons, but also because the foundations on underlying peat were not sufficiently stable for a stone building.
The communion rails, chancel rails, and pulpit were also designed by Douglas and are of carved timber. The reredos consists of painted tiles and depicts Christ breaking bread before Cleophas and Mary in the centre, St Michael on the left, and Euphrasia on the right. The only stained glass in the church is in the west window, dated 1885 and depicting the baptism of Jesus.
At the entrance to the churchyard is a lych gate dated 1879 which was also probably designed by Douglas. It is made of oak with a stone slate roof. The churchyard contains the war grave of an army officer cadet of World War II.