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

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

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

The place: WHITKIRK.     Church dedication: ST. MARY.     Church type: Discharged Vicarage.

Area, 6,430 acres. Skirack wapentake, L.D. -Population, 2.564 *1; Church-room, 450 *2; Net value, £202. -This Church was appropriated to the Commandery of Newland, by William de Vilers: on the suppression of the Knights Templars, the presentation was given to Trinity College, Cambridge.

There is a Vicarage, but no ordination appears either in Torre's, Ducarel's, or Archbishop Sharp's MSS.; but Archbishop Sharp saith, that the living had certain glebe and small tithes, and £2 for anniversary sermons.

A Chantry was ordained in 1448, founded by William Scargill, sen. Esq.

There were unreported decrees in the Exchequer in Easter Term, 26th Eliz. (Halton), ditto (Whitkirk), and in Trinity Term, 17 Jac. I. (Halton).

Patrons and impropriators, Trinity College, Cambridge.

In Pope Nicholas's taxation the Vicarage is valued at £5; in the King's books at £13. 5s. 6d. See also Parliamentary Survey, vol. xviii. page 348, it is stated, Vicarage £34 per annum. Synodals, 4s. Procurations, 7s. 6d.

Augmented in 1823 with £300 and £300 from the Parliamentary grant, to meet benefaction of £200 from the Rev. Charles Musgrave, the Vicar, and £200 from Trinity College, Cambridge ; in 1825 with £300 from the same grant, to meet benefactions of £100 from Trinity College, Cambridge, and £100 from Mrs. Pyncombe's trustees ; and in 1826 with £300 from the same grant, to meet benefaction of £200 from the Master and Fellows of Trinity College. Cambridge.

An augmentation of 40s. per annum, for two charity sermons, was given by Nicholas Askwith, Esq. -Vide Notitia Parochialis, No. 807.

An inclosure of Halton Moor took place in the 17th Geo. III.; and Temple Newsom was inclosed under 1st Geo. IV. Glebe fit for residence.

Torre gives a catalogue of the Vicars and an account of the monuments.

3rd November 1743, faculty to erect a gallery.

The parish Registers commence in 1603.

Torre gives a particular account of the foundation of the hospital and freeschool in 1521. by Sir Thomas D'Arcy, knight, and of the statutes made by the Archbishop relative to the same.

Charities:
Lady Margaret Gascoigne's dole, by deed, dated 28th April 1573. £10 per annum.

William Rishforth's dole, in 1616. 18s. 4d. per annum.

Richard Heald's dole, in 1631. 5s. per annum.

William Hancock's dole, by will, 17th July 1677. £4 per annum.

Nicholas Askwith's charity, by will, dated 30th September 1635. 40s. per annum for two anniversary sermons, one on the first Sunday after the 12th August, and the other on Shrove Tuesday ; 20s. per annum to the parish-clerk, and £5 per annum to the poor.

School, built by subscription, and endowed with £10 per annum, under the will of Richard Brooke, in 1702. Six free scholars.

John Roades's gift, by will, 29th March 1711. Interest of £100 to be paid into the hands of Lord Irwin, to be paid to the minister, provided he preached ten sermons on Sunday afternoons, between Midsummer and Michaelmas. Not paid since 1820.

John Roades's gift, in 1711. Rentcharge of £3 per annum, for clothing three poor people. Nothing paid for some time back.

John Layster's gift, in 1717. Interest of £20 to poor widows. Lost.

John Thompson's gift, in 1718. Interest of £20 to poor widows, and rentcharge of £10 for a charity sermon on the Sunday after Michaelmas. Lost. -Vide 15th Report, page 690.

Post town: Leeds.

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References:
Vid. Torre's MS. page 159. Abp. Sharp's MS. vol. i. page 101. Whitaker's Loidis et Elmete, page 137. Wood's MS (Bodleian,) No. 5,101.

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Notes:
*1 Viz. Austhorpe, 169; Seacroft, 918; Temple Newsome, 1,458; and Thorpe Stapleton, 19. Fifty men are employed in coal mines in the townships of Seacroft and Temple Newsome. In 1834, the Population was returned at 2,581.

*2 In 1818 the return was 700.

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Other information:
TEMPLE NEWSOME. -In this parish was a Preceptory belonging to the Knights Templars.

Vid. Torre's MS., page 167. Mon. Ang., vol. vi. page 817.