BOROUGH OF SOUTHAMPTON 



I 320 the church was rebuilt where it now stands, the 

 old site becoming in after times occupied by the Audit 

 House. Soon after the church was opened a cause 

 was moved between the precentor or rector of 

 St. Mary's and the ' rector * or chaplain of St. Cross 

 on the right of interment within and without the 

 church. The claim of the precentor was entirely up- 

 held (4 December, 1333), but the rector of St. Cross 

 obtained permission for his own burial within the 

 church and that of his successors, and certain other 

 persons named. But the dues were to go to 

 St. Mary's ; all other sepulture being forbidden. 4 " 6 



The taxation of Pope Nicholas (1291) gives the 

 revenue of the church as 4 6s. 8</. per annum, its 

 tenth being 8/. SJ. 107 Soon after the rebuilding of 

 the church the convent made an arrangement for the 

 increase of the benefice, and in 1408 the church 

 having become, with the church of St. Michael, 

 appropriated (1405) to the convent, certain further 

 arrangements were made between the priory and the 

 perpetual new vicar* 03 for the improvement of the 

 vicarage ; *" and in 1 474 the poverty of the cure was 

 further considered *'* and payment from the convent 

 advanced from 8 to io. in By the valuation of 

 1535-6 the church was worth 15 los. o\d. or less 

 procurations ,lz is, yd. net, paying its tenth, 

 i 4/. 2j</., to the king. In 1683 Bishop Morley 

 made a benefaction of 20 per annum in augmenta- 

 tion of the benefice under certain conditions. In 

 1751 Mr. Richard Taunton left 21 per annum for 

 a double daily service. The benefice received an 

 augmentation of zo per annum through Queen 

 Anne's Bounty. In 1 706 Queen's College, Oxford, 

 the patrons of the living, pro- 

 vided, in conjunction with the 

 corporation, a vicarage house 

 in lieu of the ancient vicarage 

 house ta which had been alien- 

 ated, and in later times an- 

 nexed the stewardship of God's 

 House to the benefice, which 

 brought in 21 per annum, 

 besides a good house "' for the 

 steward, but of late the vicars 

 have been appointed as chap- 

 lains only. The living is now 

 valued at about .220 per 

 annum. There is no available vicarage house. The 

 patronage was originally granted to the priory of 

 St. Denys, who presented till the Dissolution. From 

 1548 to 1574 it was in the gift of John Capelyn, 

 burgess, and afterwards of Anthony Lisle, esq. From 

 1611 to 1871 the patronage was with Queen's 

 College, Oxford, who in the latter year gave it over 

 to the bishop of Winchester in exchange for other 

 livings. The bishop is now the patron. 



Holy Rood has been considered the ' town ' church, 

 and episcopal and archidiaconal visitations have been 



QUIEN'S COLLIOI, 

 OXFORD. Argent three 

 eagles gules. 



usually held in it. It was here that Philip of Spain 

 heard mass (20 July, 1554) on the day of his arrival 

 in the port. A Thursday evening lecture was formerly 

 held here, and in 1607 was filled by the town lec- 

 turer (Mr. Hitchcock) subject to the bishop's approval. 

 Subsequently it was agreed (1615) that the incumbents 

 of the town should hold the lecture here, and the 

 parishes were put under contribution accordingly. 414 

 Documents of some interest exist concerning this lec- 

 ture under the Commonwealth. 415 It was the prac- 

 tice of the town clergy to keep up a daily service at 

 Holy Rood, and in September, i66l, 416 they were 

 begged to revive that ancient and laudable custom ; a 

 practice broken through probably before 1752, since 

 Taunton's bequest that year for the same purpose was 

 confined to the vicar of Holy Rood, or on his failing 

 in the duty the bequest was to go to St. Lawrence, 

 and on failure there to return to Holy Rood, and so 

 from one to the other for ever. In 1781 Holy Rood 

 is described as the fashionable church of the town, 

 with service twice a day. 4 " The old custom of housel- 

 ing cloth over the rails at the Holy Communion has 

 been retained at this church. 



From an early period the western porch or cloister 

 which existed here till the last rebuilding was used 

 for town proclamations, and was called the ' proclama- 

 tion-house," 4 " and accordingly was repaired by the 

 corporation. At this church, too, the assembly bell 

 for the town was rung in the early morning and the 

 curfew at night. 4 " In 1 742 the churchwardens were 

 ordered to remove the lock from a certain pew, and 

 deliver it to the owner with the message that if he 

 sent his cook-maid or other servant to sit there again, 

 the parish would dispose of the pew to some other 

 family. 



In 1 848 a faculty was obtained for pulling down 

 and rebuilding the church. Fortunately the old 

 tower was preserved, but the nave, aisles, and chancel 

 were rebuilt (1849-50) strictly on the old plan, and 

 partly on the original walls. The tower, which had 

 been in danger of reconstruction in 1791, is of 

 good proportions and crowned with a spire. It 

 stands at the south-west angle. The interior of 

 the church was much improved (1883) by the 

 removal of the lateral galleries constructed at the 

 rebuilding, and in 1901 the western gallery was re- 

 moved. The fifteenth-century font has an octagonal 

 panelled bowl and stem, with angels below the bowl, 

 and the lectern, of the same date, represents an eagle 

 on a globe supported by a tower ; beneath the claws 

 of the eagle a dragon raises its head to dart at her 

 breast. The pedestal stands on a triangular base 

 carried by three lions. The chancel contains some 

 ancient stalls with the motto of Bishop Fox, ' Est 

 Deo gratia,' in bold relief. The pulpit was given 

 in 1900, and a memorial window to a late vicar 

 (Whitlock) in 1903. 



There are eight bells ; the treble, second, fourth, 



w Winton. Epis. Reg. Stratford, fol. 

 8 7 i, 88. 

 4 7 Pope Nidi. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 



210*. 



408 ' Perpetuus Vicarius modernus.' 

 Compare the title ' new rector ' or ' new 

 vicar' for the titular rectors and vicar 

 under Bishop Wilberforce' Act. 



Add. MS. 15314, fol. 44*. 



410 Winton. Epis. Reg. Waynflete, ii, 

 fol. 130*. 



411 However, the value of the benefice 



had been returned at 10 in 1428 ; feud. 

 Aids, ii, 342. 



418 In thi ancient house the town 

 Audit was held with accompanying 

 festivities 3 Aug. 1441 ; Steward's Bk. 



4U In the quadrangle of God'i House. 



414 Town Journ. (Corp. MSS.). 



416 Davies, op. cit. 359. 



416 Town Journ. (Corp. MSS.). 



7 Ford, Guide (17*1). 



418 As noticed above, the Audit House 

 with its accompaniment) stood in front of 



527 



this church. A rather amusing entry 

 occurs of the green stocks, standing br 

 this church, being removed one night and 

 tied to the bull ring. Whereupon the 

 chief watchman at New Corner, being 

 unable to give any account of the matter, 

 was ordered to the stocks j Town Journ. 

 24 June, 1609. 



4 " Steward's Bk. 1456, 14.61, ice. 

 The hours in 1569 were 4 o'clock in the 

 morning and 8 o'clock at night. 



