Site Search:

Comments, complaints, broken links, disappointed hopes - please contact the caretaker.

31/07/2009

Notes on the History of Ordsall Parish - 3

R.F. Wilkinson, Rector of Ordsall 1925-1941.  From the pages of Ordsall Parish magazine.

[History index] [Wilkinson index] [Previous] [Next]

 3) The Town's Book

Among the Registers is a small book with the name “The Town’s Book 1771”

In those days there were usually three sets of Accounts to be kept in every parish. The Churchwardens’, the Overseers of the Poor, and the Parish Constable.

The first of these was connected entirely with Church expenditure such as Visitation Fees, Altar Wine, Payments to Ringers, and repairs. Some parishes have these Accounts complete for some centuries. Worksop Priory books begin in Henry VIII’s time, and they are often very interesting. Several parishes near Retford have their accounts for the last two centuries. 

Unfortunately our own do not begin until 1834. The Overseers were concerned with Poor Relief and Charities and their Accounts are often found in the same book as the Warden’s but entirely separate for each year.

The Parish Constable had the letting of the Parish land and grass-lanes, the collection of fines for any straying horses or cattle, the destruction of rats and vermin, and fees at the Quarter Sessions! These officers were all elected annually at Easter and the Accounts for the previous year duly presented. The Overseers’ books for Ordsall are lost too, but the Town’s Book contains the details of the Charities in the hands of the Minister and Overseers.

A list of those who received them is given for each year 1777—1892. At the beginning is a list of the Parish Charities which we have already described.

The Charities were given on St. Thomas’ Day, Candlemas Day and Good Friday. On page 6 is a Terrier of seats in Ordsall Church. At that time people paid a rent for their own pews or bought them when they were made. Usually the pews were attached to certain houses in the parish and some were free for the poor people.

At that time there were pews in the centre of the Church and an aisle on each side, while a lofty pulpit stood in the centre of the Chancel in later days completely hiding the Altar and East window.

The seats were as follows:

North side beginning at East End.

MEMORANDUM. That in the year 1798 in the month of July, Mr. Wm. Nelson erected a Pew Seat in the Church, the property of the Rector’s in a place commonly called the Rector’s Servants’ seat, by consent of Rev. Mr. Scott, present Rector providing that Mr. Nelson would give peaceable possession any time that the Rev. Mr. Scott or his successors should require the same.

New pews were placed in the Church in 1831, the doors of which may still be seen in the roof of the Nave.

The Church was in a very dilapidated condition at this time, and the tower was struck by lightening and severely damaged in 1823.

The old Screen was moved to the West End of the Church, and the new pews were finished in the summer of 1831.  Each pew belonged to one or more persons, and they were fitted with doors at the end, in the same way as many old fashioned city Churches to-day.

A committee was formed to allocate them, on August 30th, with these names written below:

Rev. Wm. Bury, Chairman (Curate in Charge)

John Kippax, Esq.               Wm. Holland (for

T. Bedford                                  The Hon. J. Simpson)

T. Swinburne                               John Parker

                        Edwd. Fowe

The pewing cost £245, contracted for by Thos. Hodson, was paid for by subscription, and the sale of pews.

Dec. 19 1831.  Mem. – The Churchwardens gave security to John Kippax, Esq., upon the pews marked 8, 9, 15, 16 in the plan for the sum of £70.

The Rev. W. Bury, Curate (1830-1832) lived in the old Rectory, which was built around this time.

The Rev. J. Stott was Rector (1774-1812), but as he did not live in this parish, and, as far as we know, never came to it, his family pew was not much use to him.

The Rev J. Flint was Curate (1769-1822), so his record of 53 years will probably remain for a very long time.

Unfortunately for the Church of England this period was notorious for the Rectors and Vicars being non-resident.  A clergyman could hold several livings and live in one of them, while he appointed Curates to do the work at his other Churches.

These Curates were very poor, and often had been schoolmasters, who increased their small stipend by taking pupils.  The usual stipend at that time was £40-£60 a year, and we find often that one Curate would look after three of four Churches, and ride round on a horse or pony and take one service and take one service at each on Sunday, to make upmeven this small income, while Vicars and Rectors lived comfortably elsewhere.  In fact, for a hundred years the Rectors of Ordsall never came to live in the parish, and there was no rectory.

Three Rectors – Thomas Cockshutt, Joseph Scott, and Francis Foxlowe held the living from 1743-1842, and we know they all had other Churches and houses where they lived. 

A small house in Hill Street [picture], which was pulled down many years ago, was known as the Curate’s House, and probably several Curates lived there.  It must have been a very welcome change when the Rev. Thomas King came to live as Rector in the Rectory in 1842, and thus take a much more personal interest in the people in his charge.

The Town’s Book contains another list of the seat-holders for 1824, but the book is chiefly an account of those who received the various charities from 1777-1892.

Distributions took place on Candlemas Day (Feb. 2nd) and St. Thomas’ Day (Dec. 21st).

At that time Communion was celebrated four times a year: Easter Day, Whit-Sunday, Michaelmas, and Christmas.  In old Churchwardens’ Accounts we frequently find the annual charge for bread and wine on these occasions.  At Ordsall there was a celebration on Good Friday as well, and the collection at these services were known as “Sacrament Money” and always given to the poor.

In 1778, the Communion collections were:

Good Friday – 3/2  [i.e. 3 shillings and 2 pence]

Easter – 2/10

Whitsun-tide – 4/2

Michaelmas – 2/7

Christmas – 3/8

There were no other collections in the year, unless for some special relief fund.  The Church expenses were paid annually out of the Church Rate which the Wardens estimated annually and collected like the other rates in the parish.

The widows received this money after the service at the rate of 1/- or 6d. each according to the amount available.  In those days one could buy a sheep for 1/- and bread for 1d.  The names of the widows in 1777 are Wondram, Simpson, Holmes, Jervis, Keeton, Thorp, Bellamy, Johnson, Burnham, Hemsworth, Jackson.

Later, so much flour was given to each one.  The price of flour in 1847 was 2/2 per stone.  In 1849 it was 1/6.

In 1856 it was noted that the Rector and Wardens gave £12 for a piece of land on which they intend building a house.

In 1883, the Rector (Rev. S.K. Stothert) was dangerously ill and unable to attend the charity meeting.  The dole was given away by the Wardens and Overseer.

[History index] [Wilkinson index] [Previous] [Next]