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

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

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

The place: LEEDS.     Church dedication: SAINT PETER.     Church type: Vicarage in charge.

Area, 3,050 acres. Leeds division. -Population. 71,602 *1; Church-room, 1,500; Net value, £1,257. -This Church was given to the Priory of the Holy Trinity in York by Ralph Paganell, and appropriated thereto by Archbishops Roger and Geoffrey, and a Vicarage ordained therein, 7th Dec., A.D. 1242.

38th Henry VIII., this Church of Leeds, together with the patronage of the Vicarage, was by the King given to the Archbishop of York in exchange, and on 23rd January, 15th Jac. I., by decree in Chancery, the patronage was lodged in the hands of certain parishioners and Clerks of the Church as trustees.

Archbishop Sharp supposes the decision was made upon the ground that the parishioners had purchased the Advowson before King Henry's grant.

Concerning the election of a Vicar, see the case of Richard Wilson, Esq., and others, appellants, Samuel Kirshaw and others, respondents, heard and determined by the House of Lords, May 15th 1753.

There was a Chantry at the altar of St. Katherine the Virgin and Martyr for the soul of Thomas Clarell, sometime Vicar. Three others are named in the Valor Ecc.

Torre's catalogue of the Vicars is continued by Thoresby and Whitaker. -See those authors for general information as to the parish.

In 1696, there were, according to the returns made to Archbishop Sharp, only nine Roman Catholics in the town of Leeds.

Impropriators, the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford.

In Pope Nicholas's Survey, the Church is valued at £80, and the Vicarage at £13. 6s. 8d.; in the King's books, the Vicarage is valued at £38. 0s. 2d. Pension to the Priory of Trinity, £10; ditto, 2s. Synodals, 6s.; Procurations, 7s. 6d.

There were unreported decrees in the Exchequer in Easter Term, 16th Jac. I., relative to tithes, and another in Trinity Term, 8th William III.

The Vicar is entitled to the tithes of turnips from the owners or lessees of the lands in which they are sown *2.

Easter Offerings were abolished by the 5th Geo. IV. cap. 8.

An Act was passed in the 43rd Geo. III. for inclosing Newton cum Gipton.

There is a glebe house fit for residence.

In the Parliamentary Survey, vol. xviii. page 350, it is recommended that the new Church be made parochial -the parish- the Market Heads on both sides to Kirkgate ends, the Upper Head-row and the Nether Head-row, the Vicar-lane, with Mabbgate and Quarry Hill, the houses on the West Head-row and all the North ends -Great Woodhouse, Little Woodhouse, with the Park-lane, and the Carr belonging to Woodhouse, Bruslingthorpe, and Bunner Tofts.

5th June 1778, faculty to erect a gallery.

1st July 1781, 30th September 1801, and 15th August 1817, additional burial grounds consecrated.

The Register Books of the parish Church commence in 1572.

Charities:
Pious uses. - Various messuages, lands, rents-charge, and sums of money, having been from time to time devised and given for charitable purposes within the parish of Leeds, it was, by decree of certain commissioners of charitable uses, dated 5th July 1620, directed that the sum should be placed under the management of the Vicar of Leeds and twelve parishioners ; and by a subsequent decree, dated 22nd February, 13 Ca. II, two additional trustees were appointed. The trust is divided into three branches, and the income is also distinct.

1. Trust for Reparation of the Highways in and near Leeds. -The income arises from the rent of three acres of land and twenty-nine houses, amounting, at the time of the Report, to £641. 6s. and dividends of £5,916. 17s. 10d. three per cents. reduced, and it is employed in effecting improvements in the town of Leeds, and in its communications with the neighbouring country.

2. Trust for the Poor. -Rent of 73a. 2r. 7p. of land, and rents-charge of £2. 15s. 4d., amounting together to £153. 17s. 10d., and dividends of £3,800 three per cents. reduced; expended in purchasing cloth and other materials for making coats and petticoats for the poor of the several townships in the parish.

3. Grammar School. - By decree in Chancery *3, this is declared to be a free grammar school, for the teaching, grammatically, the learned languages ; and that all boys, being natives of the borough of Leeds, or the sons of residents therein, shall be taught and instructed freely *4. The estate consists of 91a. 1r. 34p. of land and seventy-six houses, the whole let, at the time of the Report, for £1,595. 12s. per annum. There was also, at that time, £2,642. 6s. 2d. in the three per cent. consols. The headmaster's salary and allowance is £510 per annum, the usher has £290 perannum, and the assistant has £60 per annum.

Josias Jenkinson's Almshouse, at Millhill, founded by will, dated 10th August 1643, and augmented with a legacy under the will of Elizabeth Dailey, dated 26th August 1800, and £100 given by Mr. Blayds. Eight poor women live in the house, and receive the rent of 8a. 0r. 38p. of land and the dividend on £150 three per cents. reduced.

John Harrison's Hospital, founded by deed, dated 21st April 1653. Sixty-four poor women are lodged in the hospital, and each receive £10 per annum. Several donations have been made to the hospital. Its income arises from the rent of a wharf and other premises, let, at the time of the Report, for £631. 14s. 6d. per annum ; one house, let for £4. 10s.; dividends on £6,122. 6s. 9d. three per cent. consols; and the interest of £800 on securities. Total annual income, £859. 18s. 10d. per annum.

Isabel Leighton's charity, by will, dated 1st November 1653. Rent of 4a., distributed among the poor.

Charity:
chool, founded about the year 1705. Eighty girls, educated as for servants. Income : voluntary subscriptions, rents of land and houses, and dividends and interest.

Rachel Dixon's charity, for Clergymen's Widows, by will, dated 8th October 1719, for three necessitated clergymen's widows, whose husbands should have died beneficed in some of the adjacent parishes to that of Leeds : the selection to be made by the Vicar of Leeds and the Minister of St. John's. At the time of the Report, the estate, consisting of houses, &c, was let at the annual rent of £205. 14s., and there was then also £1,300 three per cents. reduced. There are occasionally vacancies, from the want of properly-qualified persons.

Mary Potter's Hospital, by will, dated 23rd April 1728, for ten ancient poor widows living in Leeds, Wakefield, or York, or within 20 miles thereof, who now receive each £12. 12s. per annum. The Vicar of Leeds is always one of the trustees. The income arises from rent of land (£34), quantity not stated, and the dividends of £2,100 consols and £2,100 reduced.

William Milner's charity, by will, dated in or about 1739. The will has been searched for, but without success. It consists of a rent-charge of £40 per annum, half of which is appropriated to the Vicar of Leeds for reading prayers at seven o'clock every evening, and the remainder is paid, in sums of £2 each, to ten poor widows. -Vide 15th Report, page 660.

---

References:
Abp. Sharp's MS.. vol. i. pages 102. 224. Torre's MS., page 263. Mon. Angl., vol. v. page 680. Whitaker's Loidis et Elmete, page 13. Thoresby, page 39. Gent's Ripon, pages 17-29. Hargrove's Knaresborough, page 193. Parsons's Leeds, &c., vol. i. page 425. Gilbert's Liber Scholasticus, page 294.

---

Notes:
*1 The Population here given is merely that of the town ; the Population of the whole parish is 123,595, viz.: Armley, 5,159; Beeston, 2,128; Bramley, 7,039 ; Chapel Allerton, 1,934 ; East Division, 12,413; Farnley, 1,591 ; Headingley, with Burley, 3,849; Holbeck, 11,210; Hunslet, 12,074 ; Middle and Kirkgate Division, 4,927 ; Millhill Division, 3,031 ; North-East Lower Division, 14,402; North-East Upper Division, 9,619; North-West Lower Division, 9,797; North-West Upper Division, 7,602 ; Potter Newton, 863; South Division, 6,549; Upper Division, 3,262 ; and Wortley, 5,944. The townships of Beeston, Shaw, Cottingley Hall, New Hall, Parkside, Royds, and Smickells (or Satchells), are included in the return of the Chapelry of Beeston. The areas of all the Divisions in the town of Leeds are included in that assigned to the East Division. In 1821, the Population of Leeds amounted to 83,769 consequently, it has increased 39,624 persons. Of the labourers not agricultural, upwards of 1,000 men are employed in stone quarries and coal mines, and 108 on the Leeds and Selby rail-road. Area of the entire parish 21,450 acres.

*2 Kershaw v. Iles, 2 Wood, page 614.

*3 Vide 11 Vesey, page 241.

*4 Mr. Gilbert notices an exhibition and scholarship.