b'Archbishops Visitation ReturnsKate PrattEvery time a new Archbishop was appointed, it was his duty to make contact with every parish in his Province, to make his Primary Visitation. The parishes would also be visited every 3 or 4 yearsby an Archdeacon, when a Terrier would be submitted 1 . T he Archbishop was able to achieve this byhas increased by 24 to 109, and there are now summoning all the Rectors, Vicars, Parish Clerks,279 people aged 16 or over. 40 of them are regular Churchwardens and Schoolmasters to a convenientcommunicants, but only 99 took communion at the church central to an area, and appearing there on angreat festival of Easter.appointed day with his Registrar. All the clergy andDealtary states firmly that there are no Dissenters appointed officials would have to appear before himin the parish, which he follows up by saying that there unless they had been formally excused, to exhibitare actually 20 Methodists, but they go to church. the documents proving their rights to hold office. TheTwo dwellings are licensed for Methodist meetings Churchwardens and Schoolmasters were required to(one being in Bolton), where about 30 people swear an oath, there were fees to be paid, and themeet once a week. With little understanding of the report on the state of the parish to be handed in. TheMethodist system of travelling preachers, be says the content of this report varied, but was moulded by theteachers are changed very frequently. Interestingly Archbishop, as a questionnaire was sent out to all thethere is also a Quaker living in the village, with his parishes beforehand. All this information would thensister who is married to a Quaker, but they are not be collated and the Archbishop would decide whatidentified.actions were necessary 2 . Much more detail of the school is provided; the Unfortunately not many of these Primary Visitationschoolmaster, Robert Stringer, teaches about 30 boys Returns have survived for this area; for Bishop Wiltonand girls in his own house. He is paid two shillings we only have 3 to considerthat of Archbishopand sixpence a quarter for each child, plus the interest Herring in 1743, Archbishop Drummond in 1764 andon 10 which was left by Richard Layton in 1734 Archbishop Thomson in 1865. We have already seenfor the education of the poor children of the parish. the text of the first one of these in Bulletin 10, but itThis can be contrasted with the situation for the 30 will be valuable to see what extra information can befamilies in Bishopthorpe which had no school until gleaned by comparing it with the two later returns. Archbishop Drummond founded one in 1763, paying In 1743 the Vicar is John Dealtary who actually7 annually towards it. Rev Dealtary paid 1 annually. lives at Skirpenbeck where he is the Rector. He hasThe schoolmaster drew an income of 2, and taught no curate for Bishop Wilton, but he is himself a curatereading, writing and religious knowledge to 20 boys at 2 other parishesKilburn and Bulmer. There are 87and girls 3 .families in the parish, consisting of 240 people agedDealtary lists the many small charities which have 16 and over, old enough to take communion; of thesebeen set up over the preceding few decades for the 109 took communion at Easter, whereas only 30-40poor of Bishop Wilton. A poor house has been built were regular communicants. Dealtary states that therefor 2 widows consisting of 2 roomsit was formerly are no Dissenters in the parish, and no almshouses,of 3 rooms but it burnt down and was rebuilt. We and no lands left to the church. He informs thehave been able to identify two sites of poor houses in Archbishop that there are two small petty schools,the villageone at the far west of the village, beyond one being in Bolton, which cater for 40 children. West End farm, and one on the small patch of level The Primary Visitation Return for Archbishopground beside the beck at the east end of the village Drummond in 1764 uses the same format but is much but we do not know where the 2-roomed house more extensive. John Dealtary is still the Vicar (he hasdescribed in 1764 was. Dealtary says rather sadly that been since 1741), but by now he lives at Bishopthorpenothing has ever been left for the repair of the Church. where he is the Rector of the Archbishops ownThe only grant was 10 shillings per month left by Sir parish, as well as Vicar of Skirpenbeck and AcasterWilliam Hildyard in 1632 for the preaching of a sermon Malbis. Bishop Wilton and Skirpenbeck share aon the first Sunday of the month (which updated grant curate, William Sclater, who lives at Youlthorpe, halfis still in operation to this day!). The final item is about way between the two; he is paid 30 per annum pluspublic penances [see inset details]. Dealtary says that the surplice fee received for officiating at weddingsthere have been none in this church since your Grace and funerals. The number of families in the parishbecame Archbishop [in 1761] neither do I know of any 1See article on Terriers, Bulletin 152Purvis, JS, Introduction to Ecclesiastical Records, St Anthonys Press, 19533Quoted in Aspects of the Georgian Church by Judith Jago, 1997, Associated Universities Press348 BULLETIN 18'