Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-08-25
Written for the Register.l
ALETTER FROM ENGLAND.
THE ANCIENT PARISH CHURCH OF
oRMSKIRK, LANCASHIRE.

| with Alice the sister OF HerveuS wal
| ter, a Norman nobleman, ancestor OF
| the Botesr family, obtained large es-
| tates in this county. Orm was, no
! doubt, the founder Of the church
which with his own name constitutes
that of the parish. '-Bdines'S History
of Lancashire.
Such is a small part of the account
of the origin OF the dull, dirty, little
town Of Ormskirk and of its we'll
known church. Anyone who travels
at all in Lancashire cannot fail, at
| least, to hear Of it, for at every sta
ton small boys and old women are
heard crying, "Ormskirk gingerbread!
the famous Ormskirk gingerbread -
and | must confess that my first
! knowledge Of the old church came
through this same very bad ginger
bread, for on the wrapper OF each
package is picture Of the church aud
long string of verses, which tell us
that two ancient danes, daughters OF
Orm, desired to build church TO the
glory of God, but unfortunately could
not agree to its form. One sister said
Il quote from the gingerbread wrap
per-:
1--WE both have wealth; say, shall we raise
a temple TO our Makers praise
Whose rddieHt Spirc uplifted high
Shall point 30 realms beyond the sky
and the other dame replies:
Yes, will gladly give my dover,
But would prefer a modest tO,cer
TO tall steeple tapering high
In lofty grandeur 10 the sky
No doubt for a while the two spin
sters had trying time with each 9th
er, but in the end each may be said to
have had her way, for the church
stands to-day unique with both spire
and tower, and every one around Is
familiar with the doggerel beginning,
"Ormskirk, be It truly said.
Is noted for It's gingerbread
Its church, too, with It's thpering spre,
Standing beside massive tower
One morning we found ourselves in
Ormskirk. Leaving the station, we
walked up a hill and through NUM-
Der of dirty passageways like com
binaton OF narrow courts; beyond
these was the gate leading into the
graveyard which surrounds the
church. Just here we stopped to lis
ten to the bells which rang out
glorious chime. The people are justly
proud of these bells. a little later in
the day the vicar told us the story OF
the Boston man who, on hearing
them, rushed TO the vicar to ask the
name Of the maker, as he would
straightway order peal of bells like
them for his church in Boston. He
was trille crestfallen when told they
had been cast in the year Of our Lord
1897 Mathis were being said as We
went into the church, and | am sorry
to say that instead of listening to the
curatc | gazed about the old building
which has been restored within the
last few years at a cost OF ST, 900, and
is now a really handsome church with
architecture Of various deba' rd styles.
The first thing the eye falls on is
pure Norman arch in the chuncel.
This was discovered during the pro-
Cess of restoration, and shows this
part Of the church to be somewhere
about 800 years old. To the south of
the chancel is the famous Derby
chapel Here for three hundred years
the Derby family have been buried.
James the Martyred Earl and his
Countess Charlotte de la TremouiIle
lie here.
Those at all familiar with the reign
Of Charles | will remember this IA
nous Earl, always the loyal subject
of the King, but so strangely misun-
derstood by him, and also his brave
Countess, who defended LathOm
House against the parlimentarians
with such wisdom that it alone OF all
the strongholds in Lancashire did not
surrender.
After mathis we hunted up the vicar
and asked if we might be allowed to
take some photographs ofthe church.
He gave us permission and was very
kind, telling us many interesting
things about the place. In the Derby
chapel he showed us how CrOmwell's
soldiers had broken and defaced the
70 Of r
with more than one leg or one arm.
He also got out the parish registers,
dating back hundreds Of years, all
beautifully preserved, the writing as
clear and distinct as when it was first
done The outside Of the church is
charming, the square tower and the
ing architectural criticism. At the
church door we found Lhe vicar : dog,
a beautiful collie, wis made friends
with us aud allowed us to take his
photograph. 1t seems he is a near
relative Of another Ormskirk collie
now in America and worth 81 900; so,
on account of his distinguished con-
nection, feel justified in mentioning
him.
The last thing the vicar did for us
was to recommend n certain book
and | can't resist giving its name
here II by chance the Derby chapel
at Ormskirk interest you in the least,
| AIN sure you will not regret the
time spent in reading The Lacquer
of Lathom. j.
Electric Bitters.
This remedy is becoming so we'll
known and so popular as to need no