Data from the 'Collectio Rerum Ecclesiasticarum' from the year 1842.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Data from the 'Collectio Rerum Ecclesiasticarum' from the year 1842.

The place: ARNCLIFFE.     Church dedication: ST. OSWALD.     Church type: Discharged Vicarage.

Area, 38,080 acres *2. Staincliffe wapentake, W.D. -Population, 964 *3 ; Church-room, No return *4; Net value, £36. -The manors in this parish originally belonged to Roger de Poitui, but were soon alienated to the Percies. The De Arches were mesne lords here, and Dr. Whitaker thinks they were the founders of the Church.

The advowson belonged to the Percies until 21st Hen. VI., when Henry, second Earl of Northumberland, conferred it, with three acres of land, upon University College, Oxford, for the support of three fellows of that society, and they are still the patrons and impropriators. The benefaction is stated in Wood's Athenae, Oxon, quoted by Dr. Whitaker.

A Vicarage was ordained in 1445, but which is not noticed by Torre. He notices a composition for tithes made in 1230 with the Abbot and Convent of Fountains.

The Church is valued in Pope Nicholas's first taxation at £33. 6s. 8d.; and in his new taxation at £26. 13s. 4d.; in the King's books the Vicarage is valued at £13. 6s. 8d.; and in the Parliamentary Survey, vol. xviii. page 194, at £45 per annum.

The Vicarage was augmented in 1766 with £200, to meet benefaction of £200 from the Rev. Thomas Kay.

The Canons of Bolton had the mill here ; and the monastery of Fountains had also large possessions.

A catalogue of the Rectors and Vicars is given by Dr. Whitaker.

" The greater part of the tithe is appropriate to University College, Oxford. It is endowed with the tithe corn of Arncliffe and Hakeswich, with twenty marks payable yearly by the farmers of the Rectory, and with glebe land of the value of £20 per annum. 10s. per annum was given by William Fawcett, of Upton, in the parish of Westham, in the county of Essex, gent., for preaching a sermon on the 5th November, which is now lessened to 5s. 6d. per annum, by reason of the fall of land, taken in security for the same, and for other benefactions to Haltongill Chapel and to the poor." Signed, " Miles Tennant, Vic." -Notitia Parochialis, No. 695.

The Church, except the tower, was rebuilt some years ago.

The following inclosures have taken place, viz.: 8th Geo. III. (Litton); 6th Geo. III. (Stinted Pastures) ; 56th Geo. III. (Buckden and Starbotten) ; and 56th Geo. III. (Hawkswich.)

The glebe house is fit for residence.

The Register Books commence in 1669.

Charities:
Thomas Atkinson's dole, by will. Rent-charge of £3 to the poor of Arncliffe, Litton, and Hakeswich, viz. one half to Arncliffe and the other to Litton and Hakeswich.

Poor's money. Interest of £10 to the poor of Arncliffe.

Church land. Rent of 1a. 1r. 20p. of land. For the winding up the clock £2. 3s.; the remainder of the rents to the repairs of the church. -Vide 15th Report, page 632.

Post town: Settle.

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References:
Torre's MS. page 455. Abp. Sharp's MS. vol. i. page 127. Bawdwen's Domesday Book, pages 28. 232. 234. Burton's Monast. pages 115. 150. Whitaker's Craven, page 490.

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Notes:
*1 Anciently Erncliffe, i.e. the eagle's rock.

*2 The parish of Arncliffe extends into the east division of Staincliffe and Ewcross wapentake. Buckden being within that division. This parish has experienced a decrease of Population ninety-nine persons, attributed to the decline of hand-loom weaving.

*3 Viz. Arncliffe, 213; Buckden, 309; Hal-tongill, 88; West Halton, 171 ; Hawkswick, 81; and Litton, 102. ln 1834, the Population, exclusive of the Chapelries, was stated to be 350.

*4 In 1818, the Church-room was returned at 500.