JOURNAL 



OF THE 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 

 OF ENGLAND. 



VILLAGE CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS. 



Introductory. 



English social history affords many examples in early times 

 of village organisations quite unconnected with trade or similar 

 interests. The villages of P]ngland in the middle ages were 

 filled with guilds or fraternities, religious in origin, which 

 were constituted in association with the parish church, usually 

 for the maintenance of a light or an altar to some particular 

 saint, but which had, or at all events developed, as part of 

 their purpose, the social well-being of their members. 



For the most part, evidence of the existence of guilds in 

 rural parishes is contained in deeds concerning the transference 

 of lands. Thus, "a lease of land in Brailes granted by the 

 Masters and Brethren of the Gruild of our Blessed Lady in the 

 Church at Brailes to Richard Ryley, 1537," exists, and there 

 are other examples. ' 



These village guilds were not confined to one craft or social 

 class, nor even to one sex. It has been remarked that they 

 were primarily religious institutions, but as mediasval religion 

 found its finest expression in the development of a social con- 

 science, and all the political and social activities of the village 

 were carried on in the vestry, or the church house, this term 

 cannot be narrowly interpreted. They were in reality 

 primarily fellowship associations, combining in their objects 

 the material and moral welfare of their members and some- 

 times of the whole parish. 



All the guilds appear to have combined religious and social 

 objects. Funds were provided for candles to burn before the 

 patron saint of the guild, for payments for masses, either for 

 the dead or special celebrations for the guild, for the provision 



' Birmingham Municipal Library, MSS. CoUertiovx. 

 VOL. 7.->. B 



NEW VORK 

 B ANICAL 



■^iARDEN 



