WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



Da 



8 May, 

 28 July, 

 1 8 Sept. 

 1 1 July, 

 1 1 July, 



9 Dec. 



28 July, 



24 Jan. 



2 Feb. 



1 700 . Francis Bere, M. A. 1 



1722 . Benjamin Clarke, M.A.' . . . . 



1730 . Augustine Gwyn, M.A. 3 .... 



1776 . Samuel Sewell, M.A. 4 



1815 . Charles George Thomas Driffield, 



M.A. 6 



1848 . Charles Chapman, M.A. 6 . . . . 



1 849 . Lewis William Sampson, M.A. 7 . . 

 :883 . Henry Alexander Macnaghten,M.A. 8 

 1887 . Harry Mitchell, M.A. 9 .... 



King's College 



PRESCOT 



Cause of Vacancy 

 res. T. Bryan 

 d. F. Bere 

 d. B. Clarke 

 d. A. Gwyn 



d. S. Sewell 



d. C. G. T. Driffield 



d. C. Chapman 



d. L. W. Sampson 



res. H. A. Macnaghten 



The rectors were usually prominent men ; as, after 

 the patronage came into the possession of the dukes 

 of Lancaster and the kings, the benefice was bestowed 

 as a reward of public service. These busy officials 

 probably never visited Prescot, discharging their 

 duties by a resident curate. 10 Hence the bestowal 

 of the rectory on King's College was no loss to the 

 parish, though the new vicars, sometimes men of 

 importance in the university and holding other 

 benefices, were probably not seen much oftener by 

 their parishioners than the old rectors. The first 

 account of the resident clergy of the parish is sup- 

 plied by the Clergy List of 1541-2." The vicar 

 of that time is known to have resided at least 

 occasionally ; he paid a curate. There were three 

 chantry priests ; also chaplains or curates at Rainford 

 and Farnworth. Two priests were paid by John 

 Eccleston, three lived ' de stipite,' and one, Ralph 

 Richardson, by the profits of lands. There was thus 

 a staff of thirteen clergy serving the parish church, 

 the four chapels and three chantries, and private 

 oratories. Eleven, including the vicar, appeared at 

 the visitation of 1 548 ; two of them had been 

 chantry priests, but four of the names were fresh, so 

 that three or four of those living here in 1541 had 

 disappeared, by death or migration. Three others 

 are named under Farnworth." 



The effect of the changes made under Edward VI 

 becomes manifest in the visitation list of 1554 ; the 

 vicar and his curate alone remained at Prescot, and 

 the curate at Farnworth, the staff of thirteen having 

 been reduced to three. 13 Very little improvement 

 was effected by Bishops Cotes and Scott, the list of 



1562 showing the vicar and three assistants at Prescot, 

 and a curate at Farnworth. 14 Next year showed a 

 decline ; the vicar was absent in London, but the 

 curate and the schoolmaster appeared ; as also those 

 of Farnworth. 16 The minimum seems to have been 

 reached in 1565, when neither the vicar nor the 

 curate of Farnworth appeared, the curate of Prescot 

 being the only representative." 



In 1590 the vicar was described as a preacher; 

 there was also a preacher at Rainford, but the chapels 

 at St. Helens and Farnworth had only readers. 17 Two 

 years later it was alleged that the vicar and curate did 

 not catechize the youth ; Mr. Mead ' appeared and 

 stated that every Sunday and holiday he did interpret 

 upon some parcel of Scripture both before and after 

 noon,' but he was ordered to catechize also. The 

 churchwardens were ordered to provide 'a decent 

 communion table ' before Christmas, also a ' fair linen 

 cloth ' for it ; to use the perambulations and to make 

 a presentment of offenders.' 8 No change is revealed 

 by a report made about 1 6 1 o, but the vicar was the 

 only ' preacher ' in the parish." 



The parliamentary authorities temporarily expelled 

 Mr. Day. Articles were presented against him in 

 1645, but he did not appear, having 'deserted' 

 the place, and it was next year ordered that the 

 ' rectory ' should stand sequestered to the use of some 

 godly and orthodox divine until the vicar should 

 submit. It appeared that he had some scruples of 

 conscience as to taking the Solemn League and Cove- 

 nant. 20 Afterwards he was able to satisfy the authorities 

 and was restored to the full enjoyment of the vicarage. 81 

 His successor, John Withins, conformed in 1662. 



