Lay Rectors

In carrying out research into the history of St Michael & All Angels Church Wilmington, I found out that since 1328 the greater or rectorial tithes were appropriated by lessees appointed as lay rectors, first by the monks of the priory of St Andrew, Rochester and after the reformation by the dean and chapter of Rochester.

Wilmington church is mentioned in the 12th century Textus Roffensis as a chapel together with the chapel at Kingsdown as being chapels of the church of St John the Baptist, Sutton at Hone. Henry I granted the church at Sutton at Hone and the chapels of Kingsdown and Wilmington to the priory of St Andrew Rochester. In 1253 William de Litchfield was appointed Rector of Sutton at Hone and Vicar of Wilmington and so until 1866, when the Ecclesiastical Commission assumed the responsibilities of lay rectors, the parishes of Sutton and Wilmington continued as one parsonage, with two distinct vicarages. In 1328 when John Reginald de Chethem was appointed his title was Vicar of Sutton and Vicar of Wilmington, and so the monks of St Andrews appointed a lay rector who appropriated the great or rectorial tithe.

Edward Hasted in Volume 2 of his History and Topographical Survey of Kent 2nd edition refers to a Nicholas Statham being appointed as lay rector of Sutton and Wilmington in the 29th year of Henry VIII reign by Walter, prior and the convent of Rochester. The next appointee referred to is Ambrose Beale appointed in the 14th year of the reign of Charles I by the dean and chapter of Rochester. Hasted records that during the Commonwealth in 1650 when the Commission of Enquiry into the value of church livings, Robert Hazlewood was the lay rector. He next refers to a Thomas Harris who died in 1769. In the church records of St Michael's Wilmington in the papers dealing with the Charity called the Rectory Payment, a John Mumford of Sutton Place was appointed on the 25th November 1772. The last lay rector that I can find any record of is William Frederick East, Architect of 2 Corporation Row, Clerkenwell, London. He is mentioned in the documents detailing the commutation of tithes in Wilmington dated 1842 and records in Lambeth Palace Library proving that he was the architect responsible for the building of the north aisle of St Michael's in 1840. Several books on churches in Kent including the West Kent and Weald volume of the Buildings of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales edited by John Newman and Victorian Churches of Kent by Dr Homan have attributed the building of the north aisle to Edward Cressy. Lay rectors were responsible for the upkeep of chancels of churches within their parish and East rebuilt the chancel of St Michael's in 1835.

I have made enquiries at Rochester and at Maidstone about the records of lay rectors within the Diocese of Rochester, without success. It would be interesting to know where Hasted obtained his information from? If any members have any ideas about sources of information, I would be pleased to hear from them. Stan Stringer.