EDWINSTREE HUNDRED 



BRENT PELHAM 



not been dedicated." In 1 29 1 it was returned as of 

 the annual value of £s" I' was with Furneux 

 Pelham among the seven benefices held in 1294 by 

 Robert de Drayton." It was again visited by officers 

 of St. Paul's in 1297. They found the graveyard ill- 

 inclosed, unclean and not consecrated, with all its 

 entrances open ; an unthatched belfry in a bad state 

 of repair, in which were two ill-tuned bells ; a church 

 still unconsecrated and ill-thatched with straw, having 

 weak doors without good locks or bars. The windows 

 were also in need of bars and some of them in the 

 chancel lacked glass. The church had four unconse- 

 crated altars. A painted crucifix in the middle of the 

 nave, which had on either side images of the Virgin 

 and of St. John, had been injured by rain, and here 

 were also images of St. Nicholas and St. Katherine. 

 The seats, lecterns and forms were sufficient. The 

 church had eight books, including an ordinal of 

 St. Paul's use. The treasure and vestments had in- 

 creased since 1 25 2." 



In 1 3 14 this church, like that of Furneux Pelham, 

 was exempted from the sphere of the king's pur- 

 veyors." In 1458 it was visited by the Dean of 

 St. Paul's and one of the canons. They found that 



dissolution of religious houses the vicarage was of the 

 annual value of £7.™ An inventory of the goods of 

 the church made in 1552 mentions only one silver 

 chalice partly gilded, a copper cross, four vestments of 

 red, blue, white and green satin, three corporales and 

 two handbells, as well as three bells which were in 

 the steeple.'™ At the date of the dissolution of gilds 

 and chantries a rent of 6a'. was received from each of 

 2 acres of land for the maintenance of a light.' The 

 advowson continued to be held by the Treasurer of 

 St. Paul's.' In July 1 77 1 the vicarage was consoli- 

 dated with that of Furneux Pelham.' The two parishes 

 became in 1845 part of the diocese of Rochester and 

 the patronage was given as from the time of the 

 death of the existing Treasurer of St. Paul's to the 

 Bishop of Rochester. Tiie treasurer presented for the 

 last time in 1 864.* The rectory of Brent Pelham 

 was vested in 1 8 5 8 in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners," 

 who in 1 8 5 9 were authorized to sell it." In 1877, 

 when the two parishes were included in the diocese of 

 St. Albans,' the Bishop of St. Albans became patron. 

 The charity of Francis Floyer, 

 CHARITIES founded by will 1 678, formerly under 

 the management of the Mercers' 



y»y.».«-x.»-^x.--^.^.-.^^^^-»y.>^.<«-.'.-.<>^^ 



'r, , I , ,T 



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Brent Pelham Church : Shonks's Tomb 



the roof had been removed in order that it might be 

 renewed. The roofing of the chancel with shingles 

 was defective and so were its corner stones and the 

 stonework of a northern window. Complaint was 

 made that the vicar kept his horse in the graveyard, 

 that he frequently preached discreditably, that he 

 did not publish sentences of excommunication and 

 that during the solemnities of canonical hours he 

 chatted with his parishioners, both men and women. 

 Only six books of the church are mentioned, but 

 the store of vestments was considerable and appa- 

 rently valuable. The treasure had otherwise been 

 increased by two silver chalices and several articles of 

 copper-gilt and brass, and by two alabaster tablets 

 showing the Trinity and the five joys of Mary, and a 

 third tablet, not said to be of alabaster, having on it 

 the figure of St. Anthony.'* At the time of the 



Company, London, is endowed with £1^4. 12/. 3</. 

 consols and ^^312 zj per cent, annuities, arising from 

 the redemption in 1893 by the said company of a 

 yearly payment of £'j 1 6s. 



The charity of Mrs. Catherine Floyer, founded by 

 will 1758, is endowed with £226 18/. 2</. consols. 



The several sums of stock are held by the official 

 trustees, and the annual dividends, amounting together 

 to X18 I A Si/., are applied under the provisions of a 

 scheme of the Charity Commissioners of 1 8 April 1 884, 

 in the distribution of bread and coal. 



The official trustees also hold a sum of £54 5/. 1 1<2'. 

 consols, arising in i860 from a legacy of £25 by a 

 codicil to the will of the late Mr. G. W. Hallam and 

 an addition of ^^25 by the testator's widow. 



The dividends, amounting to ^l 7/. yearly, are 

 applicable for the repair of the National school. 



"^ Camden Misc. (Camden Soc), ix, 



20. 



« Pofe Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 15, 18. 

 " Cal, Pat, 1292-1301, p. 118. 

 *« Visit. afChurchct of St. Paul's (Cam- 

 den Soc), 42-5. 



" Cal. Pat. 1313-17, p. 190. 



^ Visit, of Churches of St. Paul's (Cam- 

 den Soc), 103-5. 



'9 Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), i, 452- 



'»» Visit, of Churches of St. Paul's (Cam- 

 den Soc), 120. 



' Chant. Cert. 27, no. 35. 



' Inst. Bks. (P.R.O.). 



3 Clutterbuck, op. cit. iii, 449. 

 ' Lond. Gax. 20 Aug. 1845, p. 2541 ; 

 Cussans, Hist, of Herts. Edzuinslree Hund. 



143 



» Land. Gaz. 11 June 1858, p. 2879. 

 «Ibid. 27 Sept. 1859, p. 3524- 

 ' Ibid. 4 May 1877, p. 2933. 



99 



