Rector. Clerk,
s. d. s. d.
For burying in the church, 1 0 1 0
Ditto church-yard, 0 6 0 6
Churching a woman, 0 4 0 4
Marrying by licence, 5 0 2 6
Ditto without, 2 6 1 0
Tythe pig, if seven or upwards, 0 4 0 0
Easter dues, man and wife, 0 4 0 0
---- each person above sixteen, 0 4 0 0
Clerk's salary 20s. paid by the wardens; also 2d.
from each house keeper at Easter.
From the above terrier, I am inclined to value the income at about
90_l_. per annum.
The benefice, in 1771, was about 350_l_. per annum: the late Rector,
John Parsons, procured an act, in 1773, to enable the incumbent to grant
building leases; the grant of a single lease, in 1777, brought the
annual addition of about 170_l_. The income is now about 700_l_. and is
expected, at the expiration of the leases, to exceed 2000_l_.
The repairs of the chancel belong to the rector, and the remainder of
the building to the parish.
SAINT PHILLIP's.
We have touched upon various objects in our peregrinations through
Birmingham, which meet with approbation, though viewed through the
medium of smoke; some of these, being covered with the rust of time,
command our veneration; but the prospect before us is wholly modern.
We have mounted, by imperceptable gradations, from beauty to beauty,
'till we are now arrived at the summit.
If an historian had written in the last century, he would have recorded
but two places of worship; I am now recording the fourteenth: but my
successor, if not prevented by our own imprudence, in driving away the
spirit of commerce, may record the four-and-twentieth. The artist, who
carries the manufactures among foreigners, or the overseer, who wantonly
loads the people with burdens, draws the wrath of the place upon his
own head.
This curious piece of architecture, the steeple of which is erected
after the model of St. Paul's, in London, but without its weight, does
honour to the age that raised it, and to the place that contains it.
Perhaps the eye of the critic cannot point out a fault, which the hand
of the artist can mend: perhaps too, the attentive eye cannot survey
this pile of building, without communicating to the mind a small degree
of pleasure. If the materials are not proof against time, it is rather
a misfortune to be lamented, than an error to be complained of, the
country producing no better.
Yet, amidst all the excellencies we boast, I am sorry to charge this
chief ornament with an evil which admits no cure, that of not ranging
with its own coemetery, or the adjacent buildings: out of seven streets,
with which it is connected, it lines with none.--Like Deritend chapel,
of which I have already complained, from a strong attachment to a point
of religion, or of the compass, it appears twisted out of its place. We
may be delighted with a human figure, complete in stature, exactly
moulded with symmetry, and set off with the graces of dress; but we
should be disgusted, if his right side seemed to attempt to out-walk
his left.
This defect, in religious architecture, arises from a strict adherence
to the custom of the ancients, who fixed their altars towards the east.
It is amasing, that even weakness itself, by long practice, becomes
canonical; it gains credit by its age and its company. Hence, Sternhold
and Hopkins, by being long bound up with scripture, acquired a kind of
scripture authority.
The ground, originally, was part of a farm, and bore the name of the
Horse-close; afterwards _Barley-close_.--Thus a benign spot of earth,
gave additional spirits to a man when living, and kindly covered him in
its bosom when dead.
This well chosen spot, is the summit of the highest eminence in
Birmingham, with a descent every way; and, when the church was erected,
there were not any buildings nearer than those in Bull-street.
The land was the gift of Robert Phillips, Esq; whence the name, ancestor
to William Theodore Inge, Esquire.
In all degrees of people, from the bishop to the beadle, there seems a
propensity in the mind to arrive at the honours of Sainthood: by joining
our names in partnership with a faint, we share with him a red letter in
the almanack.
Out of six churches in Birmingham, three bear the names of the donors.
St. Bartholomew's would, probably, have taken that of its founder, John
Jennens, Esq; but that name happened to be anticipated by Sir John de
Birmingham, who conferred it upon Deritend chapel. St. Mary's could
readily perpetuate the name of its benefactress, because we had no place
of worship that bore it. But as neither the popish, nor the protestant
kalendar produced a St. Charles, the founder of St. Paul's was
unfortunately excluded.
The gifts, which the benefactor himself believes are charitable, and
expects the world to believe the same, if scrutinized, will be found to
originate from various causes--counterfeits are apt to be offered in
currency for sterling.
Perhaps _ostentation_ has brought forth more acts of beneficence than
charity herself; but, like an unkind parent, she disowns her offspring,
and charges them upon charity.
Ostentation is the root of charity; why else are we told, in capitals,
by a large stone in the front of a building--"This hospital was erected
by William Bilby, in the sixty-third year of his age, 1709." Or, "That
John Moore, yeoman, of Worley Wigorn, built this school, in 1730."--Nay,
pride even tempts us to strut in a second-hand robe of charity, left by
another; or why do we read--"These alms-houses were erected by Lench's
trust, in 1764. W. WALSINGHAM, BAILIFF."
Another utters the word _charity_, and we rejoice in the echo. If we
miss the substance, we grasp at the shadow.
Sometimes we assign our property for religious uses, late in the evening
of life, when _enjoyment_ is over, and almost _possession_. Thus we
bequeath to piety, what we can keep no longer. We convey our name to
posterity at the expence of our successor, and scaffold our way towards
heaven up the walls of a steeple.
Will charity chalk up one additional score in our favour, because we
grant a small portion of our land to found a church, which enables us to
augment the remainder treble its value, by granting building leases? a
man seldom makes a bargain for heaven, and forgets himself. Charity and
self-interest, like the apple and the rind, are closely connected, and,
like them, we cannot separate one without trespassing on the other.
In contributions of the lesser kind, the giver examines the quantum
given by those of his own station; _pride_ will not suffer him to appear
less than his neighbour.
Sometimes he surrenders merely through importunity, which indicates as
much _charity_, as the garrison does _merit_, which surrenders when
closely besieged. Neither do we fear _our left hand knowing what our
right hand doth_, our only fear is, left the world should _not_
know it.
This superb edifice was begun by act of Parliament, in 1711, under a
commission consisting of twenty of the neighbouring gentry, appointed by
the bishop of the diocese, under his episcopal seal. Their commission
was to end twelve months after the erection of the church.
Though Birmingham ever was, and perhaps ever will be considered as one
parish, yet a portion of land, about one hundred acres, nearly
triangular, and about three fourths built up, was taken out of the
centre of St. Martin's, like a shred of cloth out of a great coat, to
make a less, and constituted a separate parish, by the appellation of
St Philip's.
We shall describe this new boundary by an imaginary journey, for a real
one perhaps was never taken since the land was first laid out, nor ever
will to the end of time.
We include the warehouse, then of John Jenens, Esq; now No. 26, in
High-street, penetrate through the buildings, till we come within twenty
yards, of Moor-street, turn sharp to the left, cross the lower part of
Castle-street, Carr's-lane, and New Meeting-street; pass close by the
front of the Meeting-house, through Bank-alley, into Hen's-walk, having
kept Moor-street about twenty yards to the right, all the way; we now
enter that street, at the bottom of Hen's-walk, pass through the east
part of Dale-end, through Stafford-street, Steelhouse-lane (then called
Whittal-lane) Bull-lane (then New-hall-lane) and Mount-pleasant.
Our journey now leads us on the west of Pinfold-street, keeping it about
twenty yards on our left; up Peck-lane, till we come near the top, when
we turn to the right, keeping the buildings, with the Free-school in New
street, on our left, into Swan-alley. We now turn up the Alley into
New-street, then to the right, which leads us to the Party-wall, between
No. 25 and 26, in High-street, late Jennens's, where we began.
In the new parish I have described, and during the journey, kept on the
left, there seems to have been, at passing the act, twelve closes, all
which are filled with buildings, except the land between New-street and
Mount-pleasant, which only waits a word from the owner, to speak the
houses into being.
The church was consecrated in 1715, and finished in 1719, the work of
eight years; at which time the commissioners resigned their powers into
the hands of the diocesan, in whom is the presentation, after having
paid, it is said, the trifling sum of 5012_l_.--but perhaps such a work
could not be completed for 20,000_l_.
Three reasons may be assigned, why so small a sum was expended; many of
the materials were given; more of the carriage, and some heavy debts
were contracted.
The urns upon the parapet of the church, which are highly ornamental,
were fixed at the same time with those of the school, in about 1756.
When I first saw St. Philip's, in the year 1741, at a proper distance,
uncrowded with houses, for there were none to the north, New-hall
excepted, untarnished with smoke, and illuminated by a western sun, I
was delighted with its appearance, and thought it then, what I do now,
and what others will in future, _the pride of the place_.
If we assemble the beauties of the edifice, which cover a rood of
ground; the spacious area of the church-yard, occupying four acres;
ornamented with walks in great perfection; shaded with trees in double
and treble ranks; and surrounded with buildings in elegant taste:
perhaps its equal cannot be found in the British dominions.
The steeple, 'till the year 1751, contained a peal of six bells, which
were then augmented to ten; at which time St. Martin's, the mother
church, having only eight, could not bear to be out-numbered by a
junior, though of superior elegance, therefore ordered twelve into her
own steeple: but as room was insufficient for the admission of bells by
the dozen, means were found to hoist them tier over tier. Though the
round dozen is a complete number in the counting-house, it is not
altogether so in the belfry: the octave is the most perfect concord in
music, but diminishes by rising to an octave and a half; neither can
that dozen well be crowded into the peal.
But perhaps the artist had another grand scheme in view, that of
accommodating the town with the additional harmony of the chimes; for
only a few tunes can be played on the octave, whilst the dozen will
compass nearly all.
Whether we are entertained even by this _exalted_ style of music, admits
a doubt; for instead of the curious ear being charmed with distinct
notes, we only hear a bustle of confused sounds, which baffle the
attention too much to keep pace with the tune.
These two steeples, are our _public_ band of music: they are the only
_standing_ Waits of the place. Two thousand people may be accommodated
in the church, but, at times, it has contained near three thousand.
In the vestry is a theological library, bequeathed by the first rector,
William Higgs, for the use of the clergy in Birmingham and its
neighbourhood; who left 200_l_. for future purchase.
Under the centre isle runs a vault, the whole length of the church, for
the reception of those who chuse to pay an additional guinea.
The organ excels; the paintings, mouldings and gildings are superb:
whether the stranger takes an external or an internal survey, the eye is
struck with delight, and he pronounces the whole the work of a matter.
Its conveniency also, can only be equalled by its elegance.
In the FRONT GALLERY.
Upon application of Sir Richard Gough, to Sir Robert Walpole, then in
power, George the First gave 600_l_. in 1725, towards finishing
this church.
Three remarks naturally arise from this declaration; That the prodigious
sums expended upon this pious undertaking, were beyond the ability of
the inhabitants; that the debts contracted, were many years in
discharging; and that one of the best of Kings, the head of the
Brunswick line, bestowed a liberal benefaction upon a people not
compleatly reconciled to his house.
Whether monumental decoration adds beauty to a place already beautiful,
is a question. There are three very small and very elegant monuments in
this church. Upon one of the south pillars, is that of the above William
Higgs, who died in 1733. Upon another is that of William Vyse, the
second rector, who died in 1770, at the age of 61. And, upon a north
pillar, that of Girton Peak, Esq; an humane magistrate, who died in
1770, aged 48.
Internment in the church is wisely prohibited; an indecency incompatible
with a civilized people. The foreigner will be apt to hold forth the
barbarity of the English nation, by observing, "They introduce
corruption in their very churches, and pay divine adoration upon the
graves of their ancestors."
Places of worship were designed for the living, the dead give up their
title with their life: besides, even small degrees of putrefaction,
confined in a room where the air cannot circulate, may become
prejudicial to health: it also ruins the pavement, as is done at St.
Martin's. Our first inhabitants, therefore, lie contented in the church
yard, by their unfortunate equals; having private sepulchres
appropriated for family use--Perhaps at the last day, no inquiry will be
made whether they lay on the in, or the outside of the walls.
It is difficult to traverse the elegant walks that surround this gulf of
death, without contemplating, that time is drawing us towards the same
focus, and that we shall shortly fall into the centre: that this
irregular circle contains what was once generous and beautiful, opulent
and humane. The arts took their rise in this fruitful soil: this is the
grave of invention and of industry; here those who figured upon the
stage are fallen, to make way for others, who must follow: though
multitudes unite with the dead, the numbers of the living increase; the
inhabitants change, while the genius improves. We cannot pass on without
reading upon the stones, the short existence of our departed friends,
perusing the end of a life with which we were well acquainted. The
active motion that veered with the rude blasts of seventy years, slops
in this point for ever.
The present rector, who is the third, is the Rev. Charles Newling, and
the benefice something like the following:
A prebendal stall in the cathedral l. s. d.
church of Lichfield, 6 0 0
Eight acres and a half of glebe land,
at Long bridge, near Birmingham, 32 0 0
Emoluments arising from the seats of
the church, 140 0 0
Surplice fees, 50 0 0
Easter offerings, 10 0 0
An estate at Sawley, in the county of
Derby, under lease for three lives,
renewable by fine, at the annual
rent of 66 13 4
------------
304 13 4
Out of which is paid to the rector
of St. Martin's, in consideration
fees and offerings once appropriated
to that church, 15 0 0
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289 13 4