Dr John Warner's Visitation of church (1663 and 1670)

Post date: Dec 06, 2012 1:5:27 PM

Kent Records Volume A seventeenth century miscellany (1994), published by KAS.

Dr. Warner’s visitation of the Diocese of Rochester (edited by Felix Hull).

Extracted from the above publication are the Wateringbury reports of Dr John Warner's visitation of Rochester Diocese in 1663 and 1670. Warner was the archdeacon of Rochester and many of the churches in the diocese, following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, were in a dilapidated and uncared for state. His visitation covered 3 out of Rochester's 4 deaneries : it did not cover the deanery of Shoreham. The location or railing of the altar was a frequent issue (see 1670 report for Wateringbury), as was the issue of displaying the Royal arms (but not in case of Wateringbury).

WATERINGBURY

21 August 1663

contra: the churchwardens [no names]

Fabric: to repair the buttresses on the north side of the church, the porch with shingles, the shingling of the church, the wall against the steeple to be whited.

Churchyard: to cut down the bushes and elders against the buttresses.

Books: to provide a table of degrees of affinity and consanguinity

Fittings : the font to be leaded; to set up the Lord’s prayer and creed.

Complete with certificate [ no date given]

22 July 1670

contra: John Burgess and John Champe, the churchwardens

Fabric: to repair the steeple in the shingling

Churchyard: to take away the gate on the west of the churchyard and wall up the place.

Altar: the Communion table to be railed in as formerly: to provide a napkin.

Vestments: to provide a hood for the mnister.

Books: to provide a book of homilies.

Fittings : to repair the pews where defective and to seat the clerk before the minister’s reading pew.

Complete by 9 September with certificate.

Contra Mrs Stoles [ ?Styles?], farmer of the rectory [did not appear]

Chancel: to cause the chancel to be repaired and whited as also the ceiling, walls and pavements.

Complete as above.

Contra Mr Benjamin Cutter, [vicar]

Vicarage: to repair and glaze the windows of the house ; to repair the roof and tiling, the thatching on the east side , the walls and hall.

Complete as above.