It was in 1654 that the first resolution was made towards making Liverpool a parish, separate from Walton, with the first chapel recorded here in 1680, by the Lord Street Bridge over The Pool. In 1699 Parliament sanctioned it to be made a separate District Parish from Walton, and £400 was to be raised towards building a new church; to be dedicated to St. Peter. John Moffat, the architect, saw the first stone of St. Peter's Church laid and the entire cost when finished was £4000. St Peter's was the first parish after the reformation and was consecrated on the 29th of June 1704. Church Street was so named after St. Peter's Church.
A Stranger's Guide published in 1834 stated: "It cost three thousand five hundred pounds and is said to be the first parish church that was erected in Lancashire after the Reformation. There are four portals, and each in a different style of architecture- a proof how little good taste or architectural beauty was understood at that time in this town. The upper part of the tower is octangular and ornamented at the angles with pinnacles, each bearing a gilt vane. The entire height of the steeple is 108 feet, and it has a peal of eight bells. The interior of the church is furnished with pews, and the galleries rest on four well carved oak pedestals, on which rise an equal number of plain columns, supporting the roof.
The altar exhibits a fine specimen of rich carving in oak, and is generally and deservedly admired. A representation of St Peter, in stained glass decorates the east window, and a large and handsome organ occupies the west end, with a gallery on each side, appropriated to the use of the children who belong to the Blue Coat Hospital. In 1715, a mariner named John Fells gave a donation of thirty pounds, for the purpose of founding a small theological library in this church. It has since received additions from one of the rectors, and at present comprises 107 volumes in folio, 56 in quatro, and 54 in octavo. These works are deposited in the vestry, and chiefly treat on divinity and ancient church history."
Baptisms were held at the church from 1704-1919, marriages from 1804 - 1919 and burials from 1704 - 1853. Figures show over 84,400 marriages and a staggering 362,117 baptisms in the church. There would no doubt have been many burials but these ceased in 1823. On the 27th of January 1868, the removal of bodies from part of St. Peter’s church yard commenced. About 200 bodies were moved with some of the coffins bearing dates of 1707. The graveyard itself was first opened in 1704. The bodies were all removed with the utmost decency and propriety, and were re-interred in Anfield Cemetery.
In 1880, Liverpool gained its first bishop, Rt Rev Ryle, and St Peter's was made the Pro-Cathedral as an interim measure while decisions about a purpose-built cathedral could be made. The memorial service after the funeral of her late Majesty Queen Victoria was held at St. Peter's on the 21st of April 1901. This fully choral mass was read by the Reverend H. Clarke, while the Bishop of Liverpool announced benediction. This was the largest memorial service ever seen by the people of Liverpool. The last service took place in September of 1919, and the church was demolished in 1922. It's demise was planned for some time as once the decision to build on St James’s Mount had been made, the diocese realised it could only fund the ambitious project by selling off its very valuable real estate in the city's main retail street. St Peter's had to go and there was no shortage of takers, including Harrods, who planned to build their only store outside of London there. In the end, it was the ambitious American chain, Woolworths who won through. They already had a presence in the city with in fact, the very first Woolworths store in the UK based in what is now Clarks Shoe shop, opposite the site. It was opened on the 5th November 1909 and they would maintain a presence in Church Street for over half a century before Burtons/Topshop moved in.
There is a brass Maltese cross embedded in the pedestrianised pavement of Church Street at the throughway to Peter's Lane from Church Street. This is named Key's Court, a reference to the Keys of St Peter and if you look high above the entrance to Key's Court, you will see a carving of those very keys, with it said that the brass came from the altar rail in St Peter's.
It is often said that the brass cross is in a position once covered by the altar of St Peter’s, but in reality however is certainly within the boundaries of the old churchyard and probably quite close to one of the old entrances to the church. This also indicates the narrowness of the street in those days.
see also:- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2021/11/remembering-liverpool-structures_24.html
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