In the early part of the 12th century the original Norman Parish Church in Grappenhall was founded. The building would of comprised of a hard earth floor, a chancel, a nave without an aisle and the only seating would have been a ledge running round the walls. Very little of that original building still remains, though some of its foundations were discovered when the Church was restored in 1873.
The tower
In 1334 the Boydell Chapel was constructed by the Boydell family hence its name. This was in the place where the south aisle is now and the tower was where the chancel is now in the current building.
Rebuilding
The rebuilding the Church began in 1529 using red sandstone available in the local area. The small Norman Church was knocked down and the chancel, north aisle and tower were constructed at the west end of the Church. 10years on and the Boydell Chapel was incorporated into the Church having previously been separated by the nave. It was not until 1833 that any more work on the Church building was done. This time the roof of the nave was raised up to form a clerestory. In the early part if the 1850’s the vestry was built and the south aisle was extended. By 1873 the Church building was completely restored.
Lewis Carroll
A key feature of the outside of the Church building is the carving of a cat above the large west window. There are many reports that the well known author Lewis Carroll found inspiration for the name and expression of the Cheshire Cat in Alice In Wonderland from this very carving on the Church in Grappenhall, a village adjacent to his birthplace.
Further reading
View History on St Wilfrids.
View images/videos of St Wilfrid's Church.