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

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

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

The place: BIRKIN.     Church dedication: ST. MARY.     Church type: Rectory in charge.

Area, 5,890 acres. Barkston Ash wapentake, L. D. - Population, 783 *1; Church-room, sufficient ; Net value, £1,008. -The Church formerly belonged to the patronage of the Byrkins and the Everinghams. The last presentation was by the devisees of the late Rev. Thomas Wright. In the year 1284, the Archbishop collated by reason of lapse, because the patron, Adam de Everingham, was then under excommunication for laying violent hands on F. de Eyton, clerk. He had afterwards letters of absolution. -Abp. Sharp's MS. vol. i. page 89.

Torre gives a catalogue of the Rectors. Patron, the Rev. T. Hill.

The Church of Birkin is valued in Pope Nicholas's Taxation at £26. 13s. 4d.; in the King's Books at £36; and in the Parliamentary Survey, vol. xviii. page 247, at £160 per annum. The Valor. Ecc. of King Henry VIII. mentions 10 acres of glebe. Synodals, 7s. 6d. Procurations, 4s.

In 1328, a Chantry was founded in this Church by Sir John Everyngham, knight, Lord of Birkin.

An Act was passed in the 28th Geo. III. for inclosing and draining ; another Act in the 39th Geo. III. for inclosing the township of Hurst Courtney ; and another Act (not printed) passed 49th Geo. III. for inclosing the township of Birkin.

There is a glebe house fit for residence, which was rebuilt under a faculty granted 20th September 1764.

TEMPLE HURST. -A preceptory of the Knights Templars was established here. -Mon. Ang. vol. vi. page 817.

The Register Books commence in 1684, but are very imperfect till 1772 vid. transcripts at York. There are a few scattered and imperfect leaves on parchment, scarcely legible, prior to 1684.

Charities:
Customary donation. By ancient custom, the owners for the time being of two estates in West Haddlesey have been used to distribute each of them two bushels of bread-corn yearly, among poor persons of the township. The render of the corn is considered in the nature of a charge on the land. The estates, at the time of making the report, were in the hands of Mrs. Davison.

Lost Charities. -Two sums of £20 each, formerly given by Elizabeth Denham for the poor of the townships of Chapel Haddlesey and Temple Hurst, have long been lost. -Vid. 15th Report, page 633.

Post town: Ferrybridge.

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References:
Nonae Roll, page 227. Torre's MS. page 373. Wood's MS. Bodleian, No. 5101, (Inscriptions, &c.).

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Notes:
*1 Viz. Birkin, 129; Haddlesey, 196; West Haddlesey, 296; Hurst Courtney, 117; and Hurst Temple, 135. Returned in 1834 at 1000.

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Other information:
WEST, OR MIDDLE HADDLESEY. - ST. JOHN BAPTIST. -Parish of Birkin. -Here was also a Chantry founded by the Stapiltons, knights. -Torre's MS. page 381.

There is now no Chapel here.