40 THE ECCLESIASTICAL SEALS OF COENWALL. 



SEAL OP THE ARCHDEACON OP CORNWALL (1845). 



The present Archdeacon, at the date given above, succeeded to 

 the full title and extensive sway of his predecessors, and his 

 seal was engraved accordingly. 



From his official designation it might have been supposed that 

 all Cornwall was then ecclesiastically subject to him, but such 

 was not the case. There were 33 places in Cornwall, constitut- 

 ing certain Donatives and Peculiars, with a population of about 

 50,000 inhabitants, exempt from his Archidiaconal rule. 



In 1 848, however, they were placed under his authority ; con- 

 sequently, in that year he held his first General Visitation of all 

 the Cornish parishes, &c., including Temple and the Scilly 

 Islands.* 



His Testamentary jurisdiction remained as before, not being 

 extended to the Peculiars, and in 1857 all Probates passed to 

 the Grovernment. f 



In 1878, as stated previously, one half of Cornwall lying east 

 of Padstow, Eoche, and Fowey, was severed from his Arch- 

 deaconry, but no alterations were made in the name and seal of 

 his remaining portion. X 



The old title ''Archdeacon of Cornwall " is therefore still pre- 

 served, and will continue to be transmitted, together with the 

 seal device. 



The seal is of silver, oval, measuring over 2 J by If inches, 

 and exhibits the combative group. In it St. Michael is shewn 

 without either brow-cross or halo. The surrounding legend, on 

 continuous elliptical border, is : — 



^i THE SEAL • OF • WILLIAM • JOHN • PHILLPOTTS- 

 AECHDEACON • OF • COENWALL. 



* See " Cornwall Register " by late Rev. J. Wallis. p., 409. 



t The Bodmin Probate Court Seal is now circular and rather more than 

 three inches in diameter. It displays the Royal Arms, &c., with V.R. and the 

 following words :— " The seal of Her Majesty's High Court of Justice, Probate 

 Division, District Registry, Bodmin." 



t " Kenwyn, 4th Oct., 1878 The Archdeacon of Cornwall will 



always be so styled. It is one of the most ancient titles of an Archdeacon in Eng- 

 land. The Archdeacons of Essex and Colchester are parallel cases, and there are 



others E. W. Trdron." 



[Extract from letter of Dr. Benson, now Archbishop.] 



