I am researching my Ansell ancestors in
east Kent and have found a Reginald Ansell, Rector of
Stowting in Kent, who left to his son's children
"the perpetual patronage of the Rectory of
Stowtinge and to their heires forever". I'm
trying to discover how Reginald came by this
patronage. His father, also a minister but not at
Stowting, didn't mention it in his will, nor did the
previous Rector of Stowting.
How can 'patronage' be acquired? Did the
Church have a say in who might receive it? And is
there a class of record that might reveal how
Reginald acquired it in the first place? I'm not
asking you to comment on the specifics relating to
Reginald.
The right of nomination or presentation to an
ecclesiastical benefice is called an advowson. An
advowson is held by a patron, who may be an
individual or institution, clerical or secular. The
patron presents the candidate to the appropriate
bishop, although the nomination may be refused. Lay
Advowsons date from the eighth century and became
more common after the Reformation (1530s) when
monastic estates and holdings fell into lay hands (they
were sold). Since 1924 a Lay Advowson cannot be sold
after two vacancies have occurred and, from 1933,
parochial councils could purchase the advowson except
where it was in the gift of the Crown or a bishop.
Mark Herber's 'Ancestral Trails' (pages 396-8),
details records of Church of England clergy and their
ordination, including various printed directories
from the 19th century and biographical details of
clergy from 1066 to 1854 by diocese and archdeaconry
(indexed) in 'Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae'. Apparently
this is now available, 1541-1857, on-line at http://ihr.sas.ac.uk/publications/faSti2.html
and lists the 'higher clergy', bishops, archdeacons
& cathedral clergy.
Institution Books (1556-1838) at the Public Record
Office are arranged by county between 1556 and 1660,
by diocese between 1661 to 1838 and then by place.
Information includes the names and dates of the
clergy instituted to the benefice and names the
patrons of the benefice. These can be used to trace
when your ancestors started and ended their time as a
patron. See 'Tracing your ancestors at the PRO', ed
Amanda Bevan.
Among the bishop's miscellaneous documents in the
diocesan record office (now usually the local county
record office) may be found letters and other
presentation papers of recommendation from patrons
and others prior to the appointment of a new
incumbent to a benefice. The bishop's act book
records any appointments with the date, name of the
patron and details of his right of presentation. Some
bishops' act books have been printed and are listed
in 'Texts & Calendars' by E L C Mullin.
In conclusion, although I have not found any
reference to specific records relating to such
changes, an advowson could be inherited or sold by
the patron, which could be a bishop, monarch or a lay
person. Nor have I spotted any particularly useful
publication in any of the bibliographies in the books
mentioned - unless I skimmed the lists too quickly of
course.
* Publications available from BFHS Bookstall at Branch
Meetings or via mail order
