St Hildeburghs Church (website) at Kings Gap/Stanley Road is to have a new vicar in the coming weeks. The Rev Martin Flowerdew comes to Hoylake from St. Osyth (about five miles to the west of Clacton-on-Sea) and his induction takes place at  St Hildeburghs on Friday 29th June, 2009.
Martin, a former teacher and YMCA director is the younger brother of TV gardener Bob Flowerdew who has appeared on Gardeners World and has published several gardening books.
In related news, the perimeter red brick wall around St Hildeburghs has very recently been subject to some repair works.
Can we look forward to a horticultural makeover of the rather dull church and vicarage gardens?
you never know Peter !
I believe he’s warned that he knows little or nothing about gardening!
Who was St Hildeburgh?
Every reference that I come across seems to suggest that the Church of St. Hildeburgh took its name from an early chapel that was on Hilbre to this Anglo-Saxon Saint and I realise the name Hilbre is allegedly a contraction of Hildeburgh-eye.(Isle). But I cannot find out anything about who this original Hildeburgh was, when she lived or what she did.
Anyone have any ideas?
Keith Hatton