Two Chantry Chapels at St Cuthbert's Fishlake.

 

It was common practice in the Middle Ages for wealthy persons upon their death to establish a chapel within a church in which a priest could sing masses for their soul. Sometimes the chapel was build over the grave of the deceased. A chantry priest was often specifically appointed to sing mass for the soul of the departed.

Chantry comes from the old French Chanterie, from Chanter to sing, sing mass.

A quarter of Chantry chapels in Yorkshire were founded between 1300-1350. However the largest number of chapels appeared between 1450-1500.

Both Chantry Chapels at Fishlake still remain to this day. The North Chantry dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, the other on the South dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Both situated at the Eastern end of both aisles.

According to the Rev Cannon George Ornsby in his Lecture notes of 1859 see full transcript at this link…

https://www.victorianvoices.net/magazines/MISC/GM1859.shtml

The Holy Trinity Chantry Chapel lies at the South side of Fishlake Church and can be identified by a flat stone inscribed with the name of Thomas Fairborn who died vicar here in 1496. In his  Will proved at York on 6 th October 1496, he desired to be buried in the chapel of the Holy Trinity within the parish church of Fishlake. Eight pounds of wax are to be burnt around his corpse on the day of his burial and its octave. He leaves 2s to the repair of the high altar. Sixpence each is left to the lights of the Blessed Virgin, the Cross, St Anthony and St Cuthbert and 2d to every other light throughout the church. To his church at Fishlake he bequeaths two books, Pupill et Catholicon to remain there forever. The other book a Bible to John Adam, Chaplin (probably he was the officiate in the chapel. Both have now gone.

This Will was witnessed by two chaplains Richard Skynner and John Adam, by Thomas Croft’s the parish clerk and by John Ricardo and John Parkyn.

A major survey of all Chantry Chapels took place during the 1540’s and published by The Surtees Society 1894. The Fishlake entry can be found at…

Certificate of the Commissioners Appointed to Survey the Chantries, Guilds, Hospitals, Etc ...by William Page, Great Britain Ecclesiastical Commission. Surtees Society. Vol 1 and 2. Chantry Survey 1546 and 1548.

[This document provides the name of the priest dedicated to each of the two chantry chapels. Followed by the duties and responsibilities. An inventory of the valuables, if any. Then a long list of tenants of properties and land from which the rent is gathered to provide financial  support for the chapel.]

1546 The Chantry of our Lady in the parish church of Fysshelake.

Robert Warde, incumbent having no foundation but admitted by the inhabitants of the said parish. To the intent to sing mass at the alter of our lady and to pray for the said inhabitants and to do divine service in the said parish church.

The same is within the said church. The necessity thereof is that there be within the said parish the number of DC (600) howsling people and above. There is no lands, ten. sold ne alienated sins the statute. (Howsling are communicants). 

Goods ornaments and plates pertaining to the same as apperath by inventory viz goods none plate none.

(Note Vidua Latin for widow).

First the mansion house of the incumbent with v a of pasture, j a of meadow, and j rood and a acre of land xijs jd

Nicholas Bynde half an acre of meadow xijd

John Hornbye ij a of meadow ijs viijd.

William Faram j a of meadow xvjd.

Vidua Myles j a of meadow xjd.  

John Hyll half an house and half an acre meadow iijs jd.

Thomas Hawle j r of meadow ixd.

John Trymmyngham iij an and a half and half a rood and j acres of land vjs.

William Rawen viij a meadow xjs viijd.

Thomas Hall iiij an and half of land vjs viijd.

John Alott iij a meadow iijs vjd

John Woode iij a meadow vs.

Robert Wait j a of meadow xijd.

Vidua Harper one cottage iiijs viijd.

Vidua Alott v rood of meadow iijs.

Roger Robinson iij a meadow iijs vjd.

William Parkyn iij r pasture ixd.

John Alan j a and iij r of meadow ijs xd.

William Wright j cottage with an acre of meadow, half an acre and iij r of land ixs.

John Butler half an acre meadow xijd.

Edward Hyll v r land xvjd.

Cuthbert’s Parkynge iiij an and a half pasture vjs iiijd.

Lawrence Padla xijd.

Thomas Parkyng j a and iij r of meadow iiijs iiijd.

Thomas Raven j r land jd ob.

William Fange iij an and half a food pasture in Doustrope iiijs.

Edmond Hudson xij a of pasture iijs iiijd.

Edmond Bansycle x a land xiiijs ijd.

Robert Hudson iij a meadow iijs.

Thomas Dearman j a meadow xijd.

Richard Stryng j a meadow xvjd.

William Hudson iij r meadow xijd.

William Hall j cottage and j a meadow iiijs viijd.

Robert Scott half an acre land viijd.

John Ham j an and ha;of pasture xvjd; the same v r land xd.

William Waller for whit rent viijd.

Cuthbert’s Farebarne for like viijd.

William Herghait for like viijd.

Robert Clayton ijd.

I all vijli xiiijs jd ob. (ob meaning halfpenny).

Tithes had to be paid on this income….

Whereof…

Payable yearly to the Kings Majesty for a tenth viijs vijd q; to his Majesty to his grave of Dowsthorpe xiiijs; to his Majesty to his grave of Fysshelake iiijs q; to his Majesty to his grave of Dowsthorpe ijs ob; to his Majesty to his grave of Staynfurthe ijd; to Thomas Parkyng for free rent ijd ob; to Frauncis Frobyssher for free rent iiijd ob; to Thomas Stokes yearly iijd ; to the Kings Majesty to thandes of his grave of Fysslake xxiiijs iiijd q di q.

And so remaneth cs jd q di q.

Note. Grave or graveship was a subdivision of a medieval estate.

1546 Holy Trinity chapel.

John Fayrebarne, incumbent. Having no foundation but admitted by the inhabitants of the said parish. To the intent to sing mass at the alter of the Holy Trinity in the said church and help divine service there and to pray for the inhabitants of the same.

The same chantry is within the said parish church. The necessity therof is to maintain prayer as afore is mentioned. There is no lands ten. sold ne alienated sins the statue.

Goods, ornaments and plate pertaining to the same as apperath by inventory, that is to say, goods none, plate none.

First, Thomas Parkyn xvij a and a rood of land and meadow lying within the fields of Fysshelake xxvijs.

Edmund Cessakyll j cottage with v a in a close called Bukran and v closes in the West Field and j a meadow xiiijs.

John Nollstrope j cottage iiij an and half of pasture iiij an and iij r land j an and half in Hayes and j an and a half of meadow xxx.

John Parkyn j cottage vjs viijd.

Thomas Parkyn j close containing iij a iiijs.

Christopher Calverrye ij a land ijs.

John Sayll ij a and a half of meadow ijs viijd.

Cuthbert’s Farebarne xxxv a and iij r of meadow, pasture and more in Dousthorpe xliij.

John Bladworthe one close viij.

In all viijli xiijs ixd.

Tithes had to be paid on this income….

Whereof…

Payable yearly to the Kings Majesty for a tenth ixs to his Majesty for free rent out of the lands in Fysshelake xxxviijs q; to his Majesty out of the lands in Dousthorpe xvjd ijd q; to the grave of Staynfurthe iiijd ob; to the grave of Thorne ijd; to Frauncis Frobisher iiijd; to Thomas Parkyn ixs on.

In all liiijs xd q.

And so remaneth iiijli xviijs xd ob q.

A further summary report dated 1548.

 20 Fyshlake Parish 1548 

The Lady Chapel

THE SERVICE OR STIPEND OF OUR LADY PREIST IN THE PARISH CHIRCH OF FISHLAKE.

In the seyd paryshe of Fyshlake is one curett that serveth the cure hymself, and none other preist found there for that purpose.

The nomber of housing people is cclxviij. (268).

Robert Wayde, incumbent, xliij years of age, unlearned hath none other living them the profitts of the seyd service.

Goods nil, Plate nil.

The yerely value of the coppiehold land apperteyning to the sayd service, vijli. xvs, vjd. Freehold, nil.

Wherof

Resolutes and deductions by yere, xxxviijs xd. ob q di q

And so remainath clear of copyhold yearly cxvjs viid di q

The Trinity Chapel

THE TRYNITIE SERVICE IN THE SEID PARYSK CHURCHE.

John Farburne, incombent, of the age of 1 (sic) years, hath none other living than the seyd service.

Goods nil. Plate nil.

The yerely value of the coppiehold land apperteyning to the said service viij li

ixd Free nil

Wherof

Resolutes and deductions by year, liiijs. vd. q

And so remayneth clere of coppiehold yerely, cvjs. iijd. ob q.

The Abolition of Chantries  Act 1545 and 1547. Following the Reformation England, initiated by King Henry VIII, Parliament passed an Act in 1545 which defined chantries as representing misapplied funds and misappropriated lands. The Act provided that all chantries and their properties would belong to the King. The  Money raised helped to fund foreign wars. Consequently, these chapels included the two at Fishlake become redundant. However, the alter stone and the building itself remains intact to this day.

Above the external view of the East end of the North aisle formally the Chantry Chapel dedicated to The Blessed Lady. Picture is dated 1907.

Screenshot

Above the internal view of the East end of the South aisle formally the Chantry Chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity. From an old picture c 1910.