CHESTERFIELD CHURCH CUSTOMS. 1 69 



In 1804-5, there was an average of 50 communicants at the 

 otlier monthly communions of the year. 



The only expenditure entered in this book, otherwise than the 

 distribution to the poor, is that of wine for the Holy Communion. 

 The amount spent and the bottles of wine consumed during 1755, 

 and for several subsequent years, are entered at the end of the 

 volume. The wine cost 2s. a bottle. Six bottles were required 

 at Easter and at Ciiristmas ; this quantity would amply suffice for 

 six times the number of communicants, in well ordered churches, 

 at the present time. Wine was also sometimes purchased for 

 other purposes. In 1757, the Dean of Lincoln, as rector, visited 

 the church, and two bottles of wine were provided for him. In 

 the same year, namely, on August 4th, Bishop Cornwallis was at 

 Chesterfield for a confirmation, when the churchwardens actually 

 spent ^i 4s. od. on wine for his lordship, as well as 9s. for wine 

 " for his secretary & gentlemen," and in addition to this, spent a 

 pound on wine for themselves and the church officers on the same 

 occasion ! Certainly, times are changed for the better. 



Out of these sacramental alms received at the parish church, the 

 hamlets always used to receive a certain proportion. In 1 786, when 

 two pounds were assigned them, the following division was made, 

 Newbold, 10s.; Brimington, los. ; Hasland, 4s. 6d. ; Tapton, 2s.; 

 Normanton, 3s. 9d.; Calow, 6s.; Walton, 3s. gd. Later on in 

 the book, we find that it became usual to assign los. each to 

 Newbold and Brimington, and five shillings each to the remaining 

 five. 



It only remains to be added that there is a gap in the entries in 

 this book between the years 1771 and 1 791, and to again plead 

 for the re-binding and careful preservation of this interesting 

 volume of Chesterfield church customs of the last century. Our 

 thanks are due to Mr. Churchwarden Windle for the kind facilities 

 that he gave for consulting these pages. 



