A History of Tithes

Appendix G

Analysis of the Tithe Commutation Return in Appendix F, showing (1) the number of Old Parishes in England and Wales; (2) the number not appropriated, and the number appropriated, to which is added a full explanation of the analysis.

Counties.		Parochial Rectors.	Appropriated Rectors.	Impropriated Rectors.	Collegiate School, Hospital, etc., Rectors.	Appropriated Vicars.	Parishes with Vicars but without Rectors.	Total number of Vicars.	Total number of Ancient Parishes.
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
England.
	Bedford	25	3	12	7	21	6	27	53
	Berks	65	26	33	6	54	7	61	137
	Bucks	63	9	42	1	36	10	46	125
	Cambridge	40	19	8	19	32	5	37	91
	Chester	51	21	18		26		26	90
	Cornwall	81	28	86	3	103	6	109	204
	Cumberland	31	26	23	2	25	2	27	84
	Derby	47	16	50		51	5	56	118
	Devon	245	83	104	9	147	8	155	449
10	Dorset	167	29	48	3	69	14	83	261
	Durham	30	20	17	8	29	4	33	79
	Essex	237	28	99	20	129	7	136	391
	Gloucester	109	49	39	6	69	10	79	213
	Hereford	80	80	29	9	98	17	115	215
	Hertford	64	15	26	5	42	4	46	114
	Huntingdon	36	7	11	3	13		13	57
	Kent	176	143	63	13	181	10	191	405
	Gloucester	28	11	31	1	21		21	71
	Leicester	75	7	33	3	35	11	46	129
20	Lincoln	188	38	67	8	89	32	121	333
	Middlesex	23	8	14	1	17	4	21	50
	Monmouth	44	40	30	4	51	5	56	123
	Norfolk	447	86	102	23	157	9	166	667
	Northampton	91	8	16	6	21	11	32	132
	Northumberland	18	16	43	3	43	3	46	83
	Nottingham	41	27	22	8	45	8	53	106
	Oxford	74	20	25	11	40	4	44	134
	Rutland	24	6	2		6	1	7	33
	Salop	116	8	87	4	75	4	79	219
30	Somerset	252	89	107	4	156	8	164	460
	Southampton	171	33	48	31	87	9	96	292
	Stafford	46	32	53	1	56	5	61	137
	Suffolk	319	16	123	10	93	15	108	483
	Surrey	74	13	42	1	35	3	38	133
	Sussex	160	59	62	8	104	10	114	299
	Warwick	48	7	45	18	53	16	69	134
	Westmoreland	13	3	8	2	13	1	14	27
	Wilts	131	69	50	12	101	12	113	274
	Worcester	73	31	16	1	36	7	43	128
40	York	155	117	156	27	186	34	220	489
Total		4158	1346	1890	301	2645	327	2972	8022
Wales.
	Anglesey	50	10	13	4	5		5	77
	Brecon	27	24	15	1	24	2	26	69
	Cardigan	15	15	31	1	24		24	62
	Carmarthen	14	21	39	2	36	2	38	78
	Carnarvon	40	10	13	5	17	1	18	69
	Denbigh	20	22	7	2	18	5	23	56
	Flint	14	15	2		15		15	31
	Glamorgan	58	29	29		42	3	45	119
	Merioneth	22	8	4		5		5	34
	Montgomery	26	15	11	2	19	1	20	55
	Pembroke	62	27	40	2	49	3	52	134
12	Radnor	18	26	2	1	17	3	20	50
Total		366	222	206	20	271	20	291	834
In England		4158	1346	1890	301	2645	327	2972	8022
Total in England and Wales		4524	1568	2096	321	2916	347	3263	8856

Column 1 indicates that nearly one-half of the parochial tithes in England and Wales were appropriated to archbishops, bishops, chapters, monasteries, colleges, etc. There are 8,856 old parishes in England and Wales. Columns 2, 3, and 4 give the number of appropriated rectories, total 3,985. So we have 3,985 old parishes deprived of their rectorial tithes. Who have these? Column 2 are archbishops, bishops, chapters, vicars-choral, and archdeacons. Column 3 are what are sometimes called “Lay Rectors,” i.e., impropriated rectors, namely, lay persons in receipt of rectorial tithes, resulting from the dissolution of monasteries and the dispersion of their tithes by the Crown to laymen. Columns 3 and 4 are lay persons receiving tithes from 2,417 parishes, amounting to gross £962,390, or nearly a million a year. Appendices A, B, and C, give the rectors in column 2. Appendix D gives the 321 in column 4. As regards column 3, the tithe-rent charges are dealt with as private property, and as such is constantly changing hands by sales or otherwise.

In columns 6 and 7, 3,985 appropriated and impropriated rectors of the old parishes employed 2,916 vicars. But column 6, or 347 parishes, have vicars, but no rectors.306 Again, the 1,568 clerical rectors in column 2 employed only 1,176 vicars, and the remaining 392 parishes had no vicars. Again, the 2,096 impropriated rectors in column 3 employed only 1,525 vicars, and the remaining 564 parishes had none. Again, the 321 college, etc., rectors employed 207 vicars, and the remaining 102 parishes had none.

I refer the reader to the summary of tithe-rent charges at page 253. (1) The Clerical Appropriators having £681,695, number 1,568. They are classified in Appendices A, B, and C. (2) The Parochial Incumbents receiving £2,415,040, consist of rectors, 4,524 + 3,263 vicars = 7,787. (3) Lay Impropriators receive £766,334; they number 2,096. (4) Schools, colleges, etc., receive £196,055; they number 321, and are classified in Appendix D, page 247.