Archbishops' Visitations


The Archbishops of York usually visited the diocese shortly after their accession, and then every fourth year after that. During a Visitation all the business in the archdeacons' courts was inhibited, and was heard instead by the officials of the Archbishop's court.

 

The documents that the Archbishops' Visitations generated were:

 

Court Books

The Court Books contain comperta (accusations) and detecta (verdicts). Each court book is arranged by rural deanery and calls are included in most of these volumes from the late 17th century. Correspondence and some visitation papers (mainly excommunications and penances) are also to be found inserted in the court books from this date onwards.

 

Visitation Papers

These consist variously of presentments (written charges or accusations); commissions; inhibitions; premonitions; excommunications; penances; answers to articles of enquiry; etc.

 

Exhibit Books

The Exhibit Books contain the names of all the incumbents in each parish and chapelry within the diocese at the time of the Visitation.

 

Archbishops' Visitations containing entries for Bubwith (down to the eighteenth century) occurred in 1567/8, 1571/2, 1575, 1578/9, 1582, 1586, 1590, 1594, 1595/6, 1600, 1604, 1607, 1615, 1619, 1623, 1627, 1633, 1636, 1640, 1662/3, 1667, 1674, 1682, 1684/5, 1693/4, 1712/3, 1714/16, 1717/19, 1720/2, 1726/7, 1743, 1748/49, 1764, 1770, 1777, 1781, and 1786. There are separate entries for Spaldington in the 1636 and 1662/3 Visitations, and for Willitoft in the 1640 and 1662/3 Visitations.

 

Unfortunately no Court Books have yet been published. 


What has been published are some of the returns to the Articles of Enquiry, for 1575, 1743, 1764 and 1865. These returns are reproduced below:

 

 

1575: Archbishop Grindal's Visitation

Borthwick Texts and Calendars 4,

 

They had no sermon these ii years.

 

Richard Dove, vicar there exhibited no writings at the visitation; he is also curate at Ellerton aforesaid.

 

Interrogetur qua auctoritae.

 

 

1743: Archbishop Herring's Visitation

Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, Vols 71, 72, 75, 77 and 79

 

I. What number of Families have you in your Parish? Of these, how many are Dissenters? And of what sort are they?

 

Aughton: We have about 60 families in our Parish, & no Dissenters.

E. Cottingwith: We have about 20 families in our Chapelry, & 1 family of Quakers.

 

II. Have you any Licensed or other Meeting House in your Parish?

 

Aughton: I have no licensed or other meeting house in our parish.

E. Cottingwith: A meeting house for Quakers is licensed.

 

III. Is there any public or Charity School, endowed or otherwise maintained in your Parish? What number of children are taught in it? And what Care is taken to instruct them in the Principles of the Christian Religion, according to the Doctrine of the Church of England; and to bring them duly to Church, as the Canon requires?

 

Aughton: We have no Schools, public or private, in our Parish.

E. Cottingwith: We have no Schools, public or private, in our Chapelry.

 

IV. Is there in your Parish any Alms-House, Hospital, or other Charitable Endowment? Have any Lands or Tenements been left for the Repair of your Church; or to any other pious use? Who has Direction of such Benefactions? How are they managed? Do you know, or have you heard of any abuses or frauds committed in the Management of them?

 

Aughton: We have no Alms Houses, nor any charitable endowment in our Parish.

E. Cottingwith: Almshouses for 6 poor people. £5/year are left for the repair of our church, which are duly applied for that purpose,

 

V. Do you reside Personally on your Cure, and in your Parsonage House? If not, where do you reside? And what is the reason of your Non-Residence?

 

Aughton: I do personally reside upon my Cure & in ye Parsonage House.

E. Cottingwith: I do personally reside upon my Cure & in ye Parsonage House, to which this is a chapel.

 

VI. Have you a Residing Curate? Is he duly qualified according to the Canons on that behalf? Does he live in your Parsonage House? What allowance do you make him?

 

Aughton: I have no curate.

E. Cottingwith: I have no curate.

 

VII. Do you know of any who come to Church in your Parish that are not Baptized? Or that being Baptized, and of a competent age, are not confirmed?

 

Aughton: I do not know of any who come to Church unbaptized, nor of any yt are baptised & of a competetnt age, who are not confirmed, save those yt I shall present to your Grace.

E. Cottingwith: I do not know of any who come to Church unbaptized, nor of any yt are baptised & of a competetnt age, who are not confirmed, save those yt I shall present to your Grace.

 

VIII. How often is the public Service read in your Church? Is it duly performed twice every Lord's Day? If not how often, and at what Times is it performed? And how comes it not to be twice done, as the Act of Uniformity and Canons of the Church require?

 

Aughton: The publick Service of the church is performed once every Lord's Day, mornings and evenings alternatively. And ye reason it is not done twice daily every Lord’s Day is because ye living is so small, yt I have another annexed, viz Ellerton, both making about £50/year, as also, because there is a chapel, where I am obliged to preach every third Sunday.

E. Cottingwith: The publick Service of the church is performed 2 Sundays in three, because I preach every Lord’s day in Aughton and every third Sunday in the chapelry of E. Cottingwith.

 

IX. How often and at what Times do you Catechise in your Church? Do your Parishioners duly send their Children and Servants who have not learned their Catechism, to be instructed by you?

 

Aughton: I Catechise after ye second lesson in ye evening service, but my parishioners are very negligent in sending their children and servants.

E. Cottingwith: I Catechise at the parish church.

 

X. How often is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered in your Church? What number of Communicants have you in your Parish? How many of them usually receive? Particularly, how many did communicate at Easter last?

 

Aughton: The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper has been administered four times in ye year duly and constantly. We have about 50 or 60 communicants generally, and perhaps the same number at Easter last.

East Cottingwith: The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper has been administered four times in ye year duly and constantly. We have about 30 communicants generally, and perhaps the same number at Easter last.

 

XI. Do you give open, and timely Warning of the Sacrament before it is administered? Do your Parishioners send in their names to you as required? Have you refused the Sacrament to anyone? For what Reason? And how has the Person so refused behaved himself since that Time?

 

Aughton: I do give timely notice for ye celebrating of ye Lord’s Supper. I have not refused ye Sacrement to any one.

E. Cottingwith: I do give timely notice for ye celebrating of ye Lord’s Supper. I have not refused ye Sacrement to any one.

 

Witness my hand, Wm Store, Minister of Aughton.

C. William Store, Adm 10 Sep 1726, D. York 3 Jun 1705, P. York 22 Sep 1706. S. S. Coll Camb. B. A. 1703

Churchwarderns: Thomas Clarke, John Buttle, Mr John Nottingham [E. Cottingwith: Thomas Cooke].

 

 

1764: Archbishop Drummond's Visitation

Borthwick Texts and Calendars 21, 23 and 26.

 

1. What number of Families have you in your Parish? Of these, how many are Dissenters? And of what sort are they?

 

150 families. 6 Roman Catholicks. 10 Methodists.

 

2. Have you any Licensed or other Meeting House in your Parish? How many? Of wha sort? How often do they assemble? In what number? Who teaches them?

 

2 licensed Methodist meeting houses. The times of assembling are uncertain, as also the number, nor have they any certain teacher.

 

3. Is there any public or Charity School, endowed or otherwise maintained in your Parish? What number of children are taught in it? When and by whom was the school founded? Who is the Master or Mistress? What number of children, oys or girls, are taught in it? In what language? Are they cloathed, maintained or lodged? What are they taught? Are they employed in working, and afterwards put out to husbandry, trades or services? And what Care is taken to instruct them in the Principles of the Christian Religion, according to the Church of England, and to bring them duly to Church, as the Canon requires?

 

1 petty school taught by an old woman.

 

4. Is there in your Parish any Alms-House, Hospital, or other Charitable Endowment? Have any Lands or Tenements been left for the Repair of your Church; or to any other pious use? Who has Direction of such Benefactions? How are they managed? Do you know, or have you heard of any abuses or frauds committed in the Management of them? Has there been any augmentation to your church by benefaction or lot from Queen Ann's Bounty, and when? Has there been any purchase of lands etc. in consequence of that augmentation? And what does that purchase consist in, and amount to yearly?

 

There is no almshouse or hospital. There is half an oxgang of land, lying in Bubwith Fields, which brings in the yearly rent of ?3, paid half-yearly, left by Henry Hotham to the poor of Bubwith only. There is ?1 8s paid out of ground lying at Aislaby, left by James Turner of Foggathorpe to the poor of Bubwith Parish, half on St. Thomas' and half Thursday before Whitsunday, and 10s. to the vicar for preaching an anniversary sermon on Low Sunday, both of which are under the direction of the Overseer and Churchwardens, as also 2 closes left for the repairs of the church, one called Church close, lying at Harlthorpe, of the yealy rent of 3s., paid every third or fourth year to Aughton church, another called St Mary's Close, lying at Foggerthorpe, which has been paid time immemorial to the repairs of the church of Bubwith till the year 1756, since when it has been withheld by Mr John Swan of York. There has been an augmentation by agreement between the Dean of York and the vicar at that time of ?10 a year in lieu for rapeseed etc. There has been a lot from Queen Ann's Bounty, not yet laid out in a purchase.

 

5. Do you reside Personally on your Cure, and in your Parsonage House? If not, where do you reside? And what is the reson of your Non-Residence?

 

I serve my living of Hutton Bushel, which is the reason of my non-residence at Bubwith.

 

6. Have you a Residing Curate? What is his name? How long has he been curate? Is he duly qualified according to the Canons on that behalf? Does he live in your Parsonage House? If not where doth he live? What allowance do you make him?

 

I have, who is my son, and has served the cure from 7 November 1763. He is duly qualified and boards in the town. I allow to the value of ?30 a year.

 

7. Do you perform divine service in any church besides your own? On what days and at what times is divine service performed in your church? If not twice every Lord's Day, with a sermon in the morning, for what reason?

 

My curate performs divine service in Bubwith church usually twice every Sunday, and no where else.

 

8. Do you know of any who come to Church in your Parish that are not Baptized? Or that being Baptized, and of a competent age, are not confirmed? Have you baptized any adults since my coming to be your bishop? If you have, I desire you t exhibit a schedule of their names and ages.

 

I know of none.

 

9. How often and at what Times do you Catechise in your Church? Do your Parishioners duly send their Children and Servants to be instructed and catechised? Do they learn any, and what, exposition for the better understanding of the church catechism?

 

The children are catechised every Sunday in the afternoon during Lent. Their parents are careful in sending them.

 

10. How often is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered in your Church? What number of Communicants have you in your Parish? How many of them usually receive? Particularly, how many did communicate at Easter last? Have you refused the Sacrament to anyone? For what Reason? And how has the Person so refused behaved himself since that Time?

 

5 times in the year. Notice is given the Sunday before in the church. The number of communicants is about 400, usually 20 or 30 at a time. At Easter last 80 received. The sacrament has been refused to none.

 

11. Have you any chapels within your parish? What are the names of them? How far are they distant from the parish-church? How are they endowed? By whom, and at what times, are they served. Is the curate duly qualified? By whom, and when, was he nominated? Have you any chapel in ruins in which no divine service is performed?

 

There is now no chapel. 2 lie in ruins, one at Spaldington, and one at Willitoft.

 

12. Have any publick penances been performed in your church since I became your bishop? Do you know of any commutations of penance made by any of your parish within the same time? By whom was it done? For what money? And to what use was that money applied?

 

There have been no penances, neither do I know of any commutation.

 

 

1865: Archbishop Thomson's Visitation Returns for the Diocese of York

Edward Boyle and Ruth M. Larsen, 2006

 

Aughton, with East Cottingwith, 3 miles distant (including the hamlet of Latham, also 3 miles distant, and part of Spaldington, 5 miles distant), York.

 

1. Name and address of incumbent, date of institution and induction?

 

John Harrison, Aughton Vicarage, 1860.

 

2. Has he last year been resident in the parish for 275 days as prescribed by law?

 

Yes. He has never left the parish longer than 2 or 3 days together, during the last 5 years, and only absent 6 days the whole of last year.

 

3. Does he perform the whole duty, or does he have an assistant curate?

 

The whole duty has been performed by him, viz: a full service at Aughton and Cottingwith alternately, besides an Evening Lecture at Latham and Spaldington alternately, without a Curate.

 

4. Does he hold any other benefice or serve any other cure? If so, what?

 

No.

 

5. Is the curate, if any, licensed? Date of license?

 

No curate

 

6. What is his name of curate? Is he a priest or deacon?

 

No curate

 

7. Does he have any other duties as incumbent, curate, lecturer, chaplain, master, or assistant in any school, and where?

 

No curate

 

8. The duty performed in church, how often, hours, numbers of sermons?

 

Aughton at 10¼ and 2¼, Cottingwith at 2¼ and 10¼, alternately. Latham at 6½, Spaldington at 6½ alternately. Prayers and Sermon at each.

 

9. When do you Catechise the Children? By what method?

 

Occasionally in the School room on week days; and the wife of the Vicar instructs the girls and younger children every Sunday at the Vicarage, Morning and Afternoon alternately.

 

10. How often do you administer the Sacrament?

 

Aughton 12 times, Cottingwith 6 times, during the last year.

 

11. Average number of Communicants at great festivals? Average at other seasons? Do you keep a list?

 

6 Communicants on an average. Yes.

 

12. Average number of the Congregation, and if any increase or decrease the reason thereof?

 

At Aughton, 50 to 60, average in summer. Cottingwith 40 to 50, average in summer; tolerably stationary.

 

13. Does the congregation represent a fair proportion of the population?

 

Scarcely so. The want of Church interest is attributable principally to the evil of non residence several years ago, when Methodists crept in and erected a chapel.

 

14. Objects for which collections have been made?

 

The Church Missionary Society and The Village day School.

 

15. What schools are there in your parish, distinguishing daily schools for adults, children, and for infants under six years of age, and Sunday Schools, how are they supported and how many scholars are there in each?

 

Only the Parish day School (consisting of about 20 to 30 children) supported by annual Subscriptions and the children's pence. The Sunday School is supported and conducted solely by the Vicar's wife.

 

16. Can you retain young people in Sunday School after they finish Daily School?

 

Not generally, as they are sent into farm service, as soon as they are able to work.

 

17. Any other mode of retaining them?

 

An attempt was made to establish an Evening School for the farm servants, but unsuccessfully, as some of the farmers refused either to support it or allow their servants to attend.

 

18. What Dissenting Places of Worship are there, and what numbers of Dissenters?

 

At Aughton and at Cottingwith a Methodist Chapel in each place; and many of the people attend it when there is no service in the Church.

 

19. What impedes your Ministry?

 

(1) The Church is cold, damp and disadvantageously situated out of the Village near the water side.

(2) The roads are extremely bad and the path to the church is over green sward for a considerable distance. (3) No organ or village Choir.

 

For these things there are no remedies.

 

20. Is your Church or Chapel in good Repair? Do the churchwardens do their duty satisfactorily?

 

Yes, yes.

 

21. Has there been any alterations to the fabric of the Church since the last Visitation? Under what authority?

 

No, except the introduction of a new stove into each church and the interior of both churches throughly cleaned.

 

22. Any other Business?

 

The aid of a curate would be of much service in this extensive parish, as no occasional help is to be had in case per of sickness.

 

John Harrison, MA., vicar, 20 January 1865