{"id":"01KG8AKT5VBS5EYGCEQJFZQMS9","cid":"bafkreie5ufp7ejujeyrbhpwn4ftfbajdasjbltfqbv253c5r6klyj3cara","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":7031,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:14.842Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1GP71YDJ60P8SRH97MF","start_line":6966,"text":"CHAPTER XXXVI.\r\nTHE OLD CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS, AND THE DEAD-HOUSE\r\n\r\n\r\nThe floating chapel recalls to mind the _“Old Church,”_ well known to\r\nthe seamen of many generations, who have visited Liverpool. It stands\r\nvery near the docks, a venerable mass of brown stone, and by the town’s\r\npeople is called the Church of St. Nicholas. I believe it is the best\r\npreserved piece of antiquity in all Liverpool.\r\n\r\nBefore the town rose to any importance, it was the only place of\r\nworship on that side of the Mersey; and under the adjoining Parish of\r\nWalton was a _chapel-of-ease;_ though from the straight backed pews,\r\nthere could have been but little comfort taken in it.\r\n\r\nIn old times, there stood in front of the church a statue of St.\r\nNicholas, the patron of mariners; to which all pious sailors made\r\nofferings, to induce his saintship to grant them short and prosperous\r\nvoyages. In the tower is a fine chime of bells; and I well remember my\r\ndelight at first hearing them on the first Sunday morning after our\r\narrival in the dock. It seemed to carry an admonition with it;\r\nsomething like the premonition conveyed to young Whittington by Bow\r\nBells. _“Wellingborough! Wellingborough! you must not forget to go to\r\nchurch, Wellingborough! Don’t forget, Wellingborough! Wellingborough!\r\ndon’t forget.”_\r\n\r\nThirty or forty years ago, these bells were rung upon the arrival of\r\nevery Liverpool ship from a foreign voyage. How forcibly does this\r\nillustrate the increase of the commerce of the town! Were the same\r\ncustom now observed, the bells would seldom have a chance to cease.\r\n\r\nWhat seemed the most remarkable about this venerable old church, and\r\nwhat seemed the most barbarous, and grated upon the veneration with\r\nwhich I regarded this time-hallowed structure, was the condition of the\r\ngrave-yard surrounding it. From its close vicinity to the haunts of the\r\nswarms of laborers about the docks, it is crossed and re-crossed by\r\nthoroughfares in all directions; and the tomb-stones, not being erect,\r\nbut horizontal (indeed, they form a complete flagging to the spot),\r\nmultitudes are constantly walking over the dead; their heels erasing\r\nthe death’s-heads and crossbones, the last mementos of the departed. At\r\nnoon, when the lumpers employed in loading and unloading the shipping,\r\nretire for an hour to snatch a dinner, many of them resort to the\r\ngrave-yard; and seating themselves upon a tomb-stone use the adjoining\r\none for a table. Often, I saw men stretched out in a drunken sleep upon\r\nthese slabs; and once, removing a fellow’s arm, read the following\r\ninscription, which, in a manner, was true to the life, if not to the\r\ndeath:—\r\n\r\nHERE LYETH YE BODY OF\r\nTOBIAS DRINKER.\r\n\r\n\r\nFor two memorable circumstances connected with this church, I am\r\nindebted to my excellent friend, Morocco, who tells me that in 1588 the\r\nEarl of Derby, coming to his residence, and waiting for a passage to\r\nthe Isle of Man, the corporation erected and adorned a sumptuous stall\r\nin the church for his reception. And moreover, that in the time of\r\nCromwell’s wars, when the place was taken by that mad nephew of King\r\nCharles, Prince Rupert, he converted the old church into a military\r\nprison and stable; when, no doubt, another _“sumptuous stall”_ was\r\nerected for the benefit of the steed of some noble cavalry officer.\r\n\r\nIn the basement of the church is a Dead House, like the Morgue in\r\nParis, where the bodies of the drowned are exposed until claimed by\r\ntheir friends, or till buried at the public charge.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJRKNG37F6TG7NPK21NVW","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1GP71YDJ60P8SRH97MF","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKT62JNKEWQ6KSF5WS2Z2","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:16.571Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:30.888Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}