The Church of Grasmere: A HistoryArmitt, Mary L. (Mary Louisa)
History
The Church of Grasmere: A History
Armitt, Mary L. (Mary Louisa)
St. Oswald's Church (Grasmere, England)
[139] This was removed from Baisbrowne, and is now at Water Park,
Coniston.
Gradually other articles customary in a properly-appointed church
were acquired. A table-cloth--this time probably of cloth--was bought
in 1665 at a cost of 16s. 7d., and "A cloth to Cover ye Ellements" at
2s. followed in 1672. The Communion vessels in use up to this time
must have been of the rudest description, for those that replaced
them in 1670 were of simple pewter, except the "dubler"--doubtless a
plate for the collection of alms.
li s d
Itt for A pewder dubler & pewder cup & a london
plater 00 4 6
Itt. for a wood dubler 00 00 3
The accounts show no further expenditure on this score, except for
the repair of a "Flagon" (3d.) in 1708, and for "Sodering ye Tankers"
in 1726. The existing plate was supplied by private piety, as its
inscriptions tell. The two silver cups bear the date 1714, and they
are of the same pattern; but one carries the cross with sacred
monogram and the legend "The Parish Church Plate of Grasmere Renewed
Ao. Doi. 1714" (having been probably bought from the proceeds of
the sale of the older plate or by collected offerings), while the
other with a coat of arms inside its border, bears the inscription:
"The gift of Mrs. Dorothy Benson of Coat How to the Parish Church
of Grasmere Ao. Doi. 1714." This lady, wife of Thomas Benson,
freeholder, of the homestead by the Rothay, gave also a beautiful
old silver alms dish, said to be a piece of Dublin plate.[140] The
date on this is 1729. She gave a silver paten also, on which only the
maker's date (1731-2) is engraved. It is singular that each of the
three pieces displays a different coat-of-arms.[141]
[140] Old church plate of the Diocese of Carlisle.
[141] See Fullers and Freeholders.
Mrs. Benson's munificence was clearly felt by the parish, for the
item in the accounts of 1729 "For Wine given as a Present to Mrs.
Benson," 8s., must have been intended as an acknowledgment.
Another offering of plate was made much later (1852) by Mrs. Letitia
Lough, a friend of the Wordworths, who resided for some time at Fox
Ghyll, and later removed to Grasmere.
In connection with the Communion vessels of the Restoration period,
it must be borne in mind that there was far less use for them then
than now. The sacrament was at that time administered only four times
in the year. This fact is not only shown by the accounts of the Rydal
Hall agent and of the churchwardens, but it is expressly declared by
one of the answers made by the wardens at the Presentment of 1723.
They add that they provide fine white bread and good wine for the
sacrament "att ye charges of ye Inhabitants"; and four years later
they append to this statement "Easter excepted, which is at the
Charge of the Parson."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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