The Church of Grasmere: A History

by Mary L. Armitt

Loughrigg.

1707—	Francis Benson of the Fold	£0	2	9
	For Grasmere	0	1	2
	Jacob Holm	0	1	10
	For Grasmere	0	0	1
	Henry Dover	0	0	11
	John Rigg	0	0	101⁄2

Grasmere.

	Jane Benson, widow	0	0	4
	Francis Benson, Underhow	0	0	2
	The wardens add "Likewise we present two churchmen [name crossed out] and George Mackereth of Clappersgate	0	0	9

1712—	Presented "for denying to pay their church-sess":—
	Jane Benson of Nichols in Grasmere	0	0	5
	Francis Benson of ye Fold in Loughrigg	0	0	3
	The same for Loughrigge and Rydal	0	1	8
	Henry Dover for Loughrigg	0	1	2
	"We present Wm. Ulock Church sess"	0	0	4
	"We have in or. parish about two hundred Familys in all. No papists. No protestant Dissenters, Except 6 or 7 families of Quakers."
1717—	Only Francis Benson of the Fold is presented for refusing to contribute to the Rates	0	1	8
	And for his Estate in Grasmere	0	1	4
1723—	The wardens declare that none refuse to pay the parson's dues, or clerk's fees, or church-rates, but the Quakers. "We do not know that they have qualified themselves according to ye act of Toleration. We do not know that the place of their meeting has been duly certified. We do not know that their preacher, or teacher, hath qualified himself by taking the oaths etc., as the Law requires."
1727—	"None refuse to pay Church rate, but Francis Benson a Quaker for not paying his Church sess, viz.	00	01	03"
1729—	Francis Benson is again presented for refusing to pay his Church sess	£0	1	5
1732—	His unpaid share is set down at	0	5	9
	And Bernard Benson's	0	3	0

This Francis Benson, the third Friend of his name at the Fold, is the last we know of. As the old families died out or dispersed, no new adherents of the sect appear to have arisen in the parish, and dissent ceased.

The only comment on non-conformity found in the registers occurs in the second volume (1687-1713). It runs:—

A perticular Register of some pretended Marryages of the people called Quakers within the parish of Grasmere As followeth—

But only two weddings from Great Langdale are set down. Also is entered:—

Jane daughter of John Grigge of Stile End in Great Langdale was baptized by A prebyterian minister the tenth day of Aprill Ano Dom 1710.