Diocese of St. David’s.

The Bishop received £4,563 from 25 parishes in this diocese.
Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol 845 4 parishes.
Bishop of Chester 260 1 parish.
Bishop of Lincoln 400 2 parishes.
Total £6,068 for four bishops from 32 parishes.[290]
£
Chanter and Chapter received6,324from34parishes.
Dean and Canons of Windsor1,8245
Total£8,148

Chapter’s separate estates:—

£
Precentor384from2parishes.
Chancellor3272
Prebendaries8,89237
Vicars Choral1,0636
Archdeacon of Brecon7854
Archdeacon of St. David’s3641
Total£11,815
Four sinecure rectories£971

Summary of this Diocese.

£
Four Bishops6,068
Two Chapters8,148
Separate Estates and Prebends, etc.11,815
£26,031
Four sinecure rectories971
Total from 123 parishes£27,002

It is a very serious matter in reference to the prebendal estates. The Act of 1840 vested all these estates in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The prebendaries anticipated what was coming, and therefore granted leases on the lives of mere infants. The result was lamentable to the parishes. No help from the tithe-rent charges could be given them until the leases lapsed. It is now 1891, i.e., fifty-one years after the passing of the Act, and yet sixteen leases of the thirty-seven are still running. And so all the rent-charges of these parishes have for so many years been diverted from these parishes, and so parochial destitution has continued in this diocese. As the leases expire, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners come into possession of the property, and then, but not till then, are steps taken to annex to parishes certain portions of this property. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners have often, in a very kind manner, granted to parishes in England and Wales annuities out of the common Fund, in regard to local claims, in anticipation of the lapse of the leases on tithes, lands, mines and house property.