Claines.
This register is likewise copied, from the year 1538 to the close of that century, in a good plain hand, except during the Puritanic period, when the rough scribbling of clerks or ill-educated ministers greatly disfigures the book. Much confusion and extensive omissions also occur from the year 1633 till after the Restoration, and from 1749 to 1761, from which time, however, to the present the register is regularly kept and in as good order as any I have seen. The only curious entry in them is dated January 24, 1736; when "Thomas, bastard son of Ann Husel, was baptised. This Ann Husel was a common strumpet, but pickt up and maintayned in a very gallant manner by one Baker, a rakish spark of 3 or 400 a year, by whom he had the bastard Thomas, as generally supposed. They lived together as man and wife in defyance of God and man, tho' under ye nose of ye Consistory Court, at the Hill." A memorandum is likewise made of the following benefactions, which I believe are still administered: Mr. William Norton, in February, 1721, left lands to the value of £7 yearly, the rents and profits of which thus to be distributed: "20s. every year to the minister for preaching a sermon on such day of the month yearly as I shall be buried;" 20s. in twopenny household bread to the poor who should attend and hear the said sermon; and the residue to clothe five poor men of the parish that usually attend the church and also hear the above-named sermon. Mr. William Swift also left houses and land to provide 12 penny loaves of wheaten bread every Lord's day, and 24 more such loaves at Christmas Day, Easter, and Whit Sunday, to be given to 12 poor aged people after service, and the overplus to the minister. Another book records that St. George's chapel, in this parish, was consecrated by Bishop Cornewall on October 26, 1830, and the Rev. J. B. Tyrwhitt appointed its minister by the Rev. E. W. Wakeman, then perpetual curate of Claines.
The oldest account book commences with the year 1668. Besides the churchwardens and overseers, two sidesmen, supervisors of highways, and "destroyers of noisome fowls and vermin," were regularly appointed. Foxes and urchins still abound in this parish; and as to "noisome fowls," entries frequently occur of sums paid for shooting kites, and in 1678 Sir J. Pakington's man was paid 1s. for killing a fox (tempora mutantur). In regard to the appointment of churchwardens there seems to have been a dispute between the incumbent and the parishioners, as set forth in the following entry:
"Mr. Phidkin, the curate, pretending a right, by virtue of the canon, to elect a churchwarden, the parishioners procured an order from the Consistory Court for the parishioners to meet, which they accordingly did, and chose two new wardens, and made their return to the said Court, but Mr. Phidkin insisted on the canon, and prayed that the churchwardens should be sworn; but the chancellor declaring that the court had not the power of trying the custom, a mandamus was obtained at the King's Bench to swear the two churchwardens elected by the parish."
It appears from another entry that the ancient custom was "for the minister, together with the consent of the parishioners, to choose the low churchwarden to be head churchwarden for the year." The parochial officers—as was the case in most parishes—were occasionally checked in their tendency towards an extravagant expenditure, one of the vestry meetings ordering that no more than 10s. should be spent at the visitation, besides fees; no more than 2s. 6d. to be allowed for ringing on any occasion; and only 2s. each to the officers for attending Sessions. The perambulation expenses in 1732 were £1. 10s; three days were usually occupied in beating the bounds, and they dined at the Tavern (Query, the present Virgin's Tavern?). May day was likewise kept as a festival, and money allowed in these accounts for the celebration of it. In the year 1750 the principal inhabitants, in vestry assembled, agreed to forfeit 40s. each if they did not use their "utmost endeavour to put a stop to the evil practices commonly committed on our wake Sunday." The wake was held on Trinity Sunday; and notwithstanding the above combination, old custom proved stronger than the sense of propriety, for until within the last twenty or thirty years the wake was continued, and I am told that some extraordinary scenes were usually witnessed here: even on the graves, travelling vagabonds plied their profession, and
"Many a youth the glittering snuff-box eyed—
Paid for his stick forthwith and boldly shied."
Such scenes of fighting, drunkenness, and debauchery, were probably never witnessed in the parish but at those times, and close beneath the shadow of its old church too. The clergy, aided by the indefatigable exertions of the present respectable clerk, Mr. Williams, at length rooted out the evil; and a little dancing which is still carried on at Fearnall Heath on the Monday is all that remains of Claines wake.
The overseers in 1678 were ordered to deduct the third part of the pay of such poor as should be found tippling in alehouses upon Sundays, for the space of a month after they should be found so tippling. Among the curious entries in these books are the following:
1669.—"Given to one whose dwelling was drowned by the sea coming too late to church, 1s."
1713.—"Whereas several pack horses hath spoiled the road leading from Dean Green to Claines Church, not having any right to travel the said road, being no inhabitance of the said parish, we order that there be a barr with post and railes set upp to prevent it over against the house of Richard Onions."
An interesting document relative to the liability of Claines to pay to the relief of the poor of the Tything of Whistones will be found under the head of "County Sessions Records—The Poor."
The Rev. W. Crowther is the present perpetual curate of Claines; churchwardens, Mr. Moon and Mr. Martin Curtler. Population in 1851, 1373.
