All of my blog articles from 5 January to 3 July 2022 gathered into one, rearranged, and posted to Academia.edu as The Medieval Church in the British Isles, all 314 pages of it.
https://www.academia.edu/82522131/The_Medieval_Church_in_the_British_Isles
Appropriation was the act of monasteries assuming control of a parish and the income of its rectory, a practice followed by cathedral chapters and in the Late Middle Ages by collegiate churches, where the benefice was referred to as a prebend, which provided an income to a major canon, and by the universities growing up, all of which were then controlled by the Church.
In these cases in which an ecclesiastical foundation or corporation acted as rector, usually the great tithe or parsonage (two-thirds) went to the appropriator with the lesser tithe or vicarage (one-third) left to support the on-site vicar parochial (vicar portionary). Too often, however, the body doing the appropriating kept both the parsonage and the vicarage to itself, paying a curate or vicar pensionary a measly stipend plus the altarage to perform the duties for the cure of souls.
Impropriation was similar to appropriation, only with a benefice placed in the hands of a layman. This was prohibited in the Concordant of Worms, but papal dispensations were frequently granted, especially in the Late Middle Ages, when enough time had passed. In the Church of England after the Dissolution of Monasteries, this occurred frequently.
Commendam was when a benefice, particularly of a monastery, fell vacant and its management was placed in trust with one outside the community, often the bishop. Before the Concordant of Worms, laymen and laywomen also became commmendators, becoming lay abbots/abbesses or lay priors/prioresses, with the practice being especially widespread in the Frankish realms.
Originally supposed to be temporary, in the Early Middle Ages this was often abused by the positions being given out to secular (primarily bishops) or even temporal (non-ecclesiastical lords and gentry) favorites of the king or lord, especially in the Frankish and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The income of the foundation was split, with two-thirds going to the commendator and the entire foundation having to make do with the remaining one third.
The practice became widespread once again in the High Middle Ages, though, in the Isles, at least, commendam was restricted to clergy.
Pluralism, called multiplism in Scotland, was one result of this abuse of benefices in the Church, the situation widespread in the Late Middle Ages in which a single bishop or priest held several different benefices.
To cite just a few (of innumerable) examples from The Medieval Church in Scotland: Its Constitution, Organization, and Laws,
A Master William in the mid-13th century was both Archdeacon of St. Andrews and a canon of Glasgow cathedral.
William Greenlaw in the mid-14th century was Archdeacon of St. Andrews, Dean of Glasgow, and a canon of Elgin cathedral (Moray).
Thomas Bell in the early 15th century was a canon of Aberdeen, a canon of Brechin cathedral, the vicar perpetual (portionary) of Montrose, and the Official of Brechin.
John Senes in the mid-15th century was a canon of Glasgow cathedral, a canon of Aberdeen cathedral, and Official-General of St. Andrews.
Andrew Liel at the dawn of the 16th century was treasurer of Aberdeen cathedral and a canon pensionary of Brechin cathedral.
Andrew Dunbar in the mid-16th century was dean of Elgin cathedral (Moray), a canon of Glasgow cathedral, and Official-General of Glasgow.
One of the most notorious cases of pluralism in the High Middle Ages comes from the late 13th century Church in England, in which Bogo de Clare, third son of Richard de Clare, 5th Earl of Hereford and 6th Earl of Gloucester, and also cousin of later Kings of Scots Robert the Bruce, held two canonries, three cathedral and collegiate church diginities, and the rectories of twenty-four parishes, despite not being ordained. He was made rector of this first two parishes at the wise age of seven.
Nonresidency of clergy resulted from both pluralism and appointment of favorites to benefices merely for income enhancement. This frequently happened with younger sons of nobility and gentry in minor orders, who later often resigned their benefice before ordination to the priesthood.
It was as well frequent in parishes appropriated to
cathedrals and to collegiate churches, where the actual rector was also a
prebendary canon living in or near his cathedral or collegiate church, though
by the Late Middle Ages, many of the prebendaries were also absentee there as
well. This latter case was why many foundations
at the end of the Late Middle Ages required in their charters for canons to be
residentiary, as in the case of the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas in
Biggar, Lanarkshire (1545).
In the Anglo-Saxon church, bishops and abbots often sat in on temporal courts of law, but William the Conqueror put an end to that. Initially, he tried to separate temporal law and ecclesiastical law completely, but even under him, certainly legal areas lent themselves more to being dealt with by the Church. By the Late Middle Ages, the jurisdictional scope of the Courts Christian grew quite large.
Areas dealt with by them included failings among the clergy (non-residence, negligence, moral faults), fabric of church buildings, state of graveyards, condition of church ornaments, withholding of lawful revenues from the Church, possession of church revenues, presentations to benifices, sacrilege, immorality, assaults of spouses, assaults on clerics, failure to attend Mass, matrimonial matters, legitimacy of children, slander and defamation, broken oaths, testamentary matters, adultery, deflowering of virgins, sodomy, arson, simony, notorious cases of murder, incest, perjury, poisoning, witchcraft, blasphemy, and heresy.
Basic structure
Like any other court system, the Courts Christian in the Western Church, aka the Patriarchate of Rome, had by the High Middle Ages a system of higher and lower courts, some only dealing with areas.
Ruridecanal courts were the most basic, at the level of a rural deanery, in some cases being rural chapters (meetings) of the clergy of the deanery, presided over by the dean, the archdeacon, or a commissary. Of course, there were dioceses that had no deaneries, but in those that did, many cases of first instance were first heard at this level.
Archdeaconry courts were presided over by the archdeacon, and later in the Middle Ages, more often by his official. If there were multiple archdeaconries in a diocese, each had its own archdeaconry court. These courts, too, were often courts of first instance, as well as being in certain instances the first court of appeal from the deanery level.
Peculiar courts were ecclesiastical courts for peculiars, parishes under a bishop of one diocese which geographically lay within the bounds of another diocese, primarily because of the distance between the peculiar and the see of the diocese to which it belonged.
Courts of audience were diocesan courts that in the beginning were exactly what they sounded like; courts before the bishop. In the High and Late Middle Ages, they were most often presided over by a vicar-general, dealing with matters of voluntary jurisdiction and administrative issues.
Consistory courts were the main diocesan Courts Christian, in some case courts of first instance but mainly courts of second instance in cases of contentious jurisdiction. Although the diocese’s bishop always had the right to preside, this duty was almost always delegated to a deputy known as the official. In dioceses with multiple consistory courts, generally one for each archdeaconry, the official in the see was designated the official principal and those in outlying archdeaconries were officials forane, though there was some variance in nomenclature.
Provincial courts were the most varied in structure between jurisdictions, including courts of appeal from the consistory courts and, usually, courts of ultimate appeal for testamentary matters.
Papal courts were the highest level of appeal, and while in theory appeals from provinces could be heard in Rome, the common practice was for a papal judge delegate to preside over a legatine court in the see of the archdiocese of the province.
Provincial courts in the Isles
In the Province of Canterbury, its provincial court was called the Court of the Arches, which sat in one of the peculiar parishes of the Archbishop of Canterbury in London named St. Mary-le-Bow. This court was presided over by the Official Principal. The archdiocese also had a single Court of Peculiars for its thirteen peculiar parishes in the Diocese of London which also sat in St. Mary-le-Bow, presided over by the Dean of Arches.
Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Canterbury had its diocesan court which sat in the see of Canterbury called the Commissary Court, presided over by the Commissary General. Its Court of Audience was presided over by the Vicar General, and there was also a court dealing only with testamentary matters of the province called the Prerogative Court, presided over by a judge called the Keeper or the Master.
In the Province of York, its provincial court was called the Chancery Court, presided over by a judge known as the Auditor, with testamentary cases dealt with by the Court of the Exchequer. For the archdiocese, its Court of Audience was presided over by the Official Principal, who also presided over its diocesan-level Consistory Court.
In the Diocese of Lincoln, its Court of Audience was presided over by the Vicar General and its Consistory Court by the Official and a deputy known as the Commissary General. Within the diocese, there were consistory courts for each archdeaconry called Commissary Courts, with the Commissary who presided usually also the same person as the Official of the local archdeacon.
In the Province of St. Andrews, its provincial court was called the Court of the Officialty and the Court of St. Andrews, presided over by the Official Principal, with a deputy called the Commissary General. For the archdiocese, because of its spread out nature, there was a Court of Audience presided over by a Vicar General in each of its two archdeaconries (St. Andrews and Lothian, which met at St. Giles in Edinburgh), as well as a Consistory Court in each presided over by an Official.
In the Province of Glasgow, there was a provincial Court of the Officialty, presided over by the Official Principal, most likely with a deputy called Commissary General (less is known about this province). In the archdiocese, there was a Consistory Court of the archdeaconry of Glasgow nominally presided over by Official Principal with the Commissary General usually sitting, and a Consistory Court in the archdeaconry of Teviodale.
In the four provinces of Ireland, the system of Courts Christian was much more rudimentary, with no provinces having prerogative courts and the same court in the sees of the archdioceses serving as the court for both the archdiocese and the province.
Judges and other administrators of Courts Christian
Archdeacon was the sole episcopal delegate for judicial authority of the diocese in the early centuries of the Church. Beginning in the High Middle Ages, the archdeacon’s judicial authority was limited to original jurisdiction in church legal matters, presiding over the tribunal of first instance and over minor criminal matters in the aptly named Court of the Archdeaconry. In some instances, the (post-Reformation) prerogative court of Armagh, for instance, the archdeacon served as commissary for the vicar general when the latter was away.
Vicar General had delegated episcopal authority over matters of voluntary jurisdiction (of non-judicial and administrative nature) brought before the diocese, usually presided over its Court of Audience, and served as the chief executive of the diocese in the absence of the bishop.
Official Principal had delegated episcopal authority over matters of contentious jurisdiction brought before the diocese, and presided over the tribunal of second instance in the Consistory Court. In Scotland, this court was known as the Officialty or the Court of the Official.
Chancellor (of a diocese) in the Church of England after the break with Rome replaced both the official principal and the vicar general in addition to his other duties.
Commissary General was the chief deputy of the Official Principal and supervised ordinary commissaries.
Apparitor General supervised all the apparitors in the diocese.
Official Forane was the delegate of episcopal judicial authority in an archdeaconry other than the one whose seat was in the see of the diocese, in dioceses that had more than one archdeaconry. In some diocese, such as Lincoln, these judges were instead called Commissaries.
Commissary adjudicated matters of contentious jurisdiction in outlying districts of the diocese too far from the see for parties to travel to without dire inconvenience. The seat of a commissary court was usually peripatetic, like the original circuit courts in USA. Commissary was also the designation for the judicial counterpart of a vicar in normal church administration, and for deputies of an Official.
Papal judge delegate presided over a legatine court.
Apparitor was the officer who summoned parties in disputes or accused persons before the ecclesiastical courts.
Procurator fiscal was the counterpart to what is now usually called a prosecutor, with origins in the manorial office of fiscal.
Canon law required that in cases where the court determined both parties needed to be represented by counsel and one or both were indigent, not competent, or a child, that the court appoint counsel for them. Should a lawyer refuse such an appointment, he could be disbarred.
Proctor, also called procurator, represented his clients in the Courts Christian in ways that make him akin to a modern solicitor. If represented by a proctor, a person did not have to appear personally.
Originally, anyone of good character with a modicum of education who was not a woman, excommunicant, serf, slave, or judge could be a proctor, but a priest was prohibited unless he was arguing on behalf of his church.
Advocate was the representative of his clients before the courts Christian at any level, the counterpart of the defense attorney in USA or barrister in the British Isles, and also stood for the Church in temporal courts. Its origin was in the manorial advocatus. If represented by an advocate, a party had to be present in court, supported and counseled by the advocate.
An advocate was required to study canon and civil law for five years.
Auditor of causes was the judge of the internal court of a cathedral chapter and in some cases matters from outside.
Temporal courts of prelates
For the temporal lands and other possession of bishops, abbots, and other prelates, the owners thereof acted through their chamberlains, in many cases with a chamberlain for each archdeaconry. Below these were a seneschal for each district with baillies underneath them.
As feudal lords, prelates held courts of barony over their temporal estates across the Isles. By the Late Middle Ages in Scotland, most baronies held by bishops, abbots, and most conventual priors (most notably the Prior of Coldingham, though there were many others) had been raised to lordships of regality, with courts of the same. A regality lay outside the authority of a sheriff.
The only corresponding ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the English church that approached that of the ecclesiastical regalities in Scotland was the County Palatine of Durham and Sadberge, made up of County Durham and the wapentake Sadberge of County Northumberland, with the authority of the Sheriff of Northumberland confined to the rest of that county.
In 1085, St. Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury (Sarum), promulgated a system of practicing the Roman Rite-based on the Use of Rouen in Normandy that came to be known as the Use of Sarum. Within a fairly short time, the Use of Sarum came to be adopted not only across the majority of England but across the British Isles, including nearly all of Scotland and Ireland, though regional variations did develop. The Use of Sarum also reportedly influenced the Use of Nidaros in Norway (though many have reported it to have more in common with the Use of York) and the Use of Braga in Portugal, as well as its own parent, the Use of Rouen in Normandy.
As for England, several other variations of the Roman Rite developed, the Use of Lincoln in the diocese of Lincoln, the Use of York in the ecclesiastical province of York, the Use of Lichfield in the diocese of Lichfield, the Use of Bangor in North Wales*, and the Use of Hereford in Herefordshire and South Wales, but none approached the influence of the Use of Sarum.
(*North Wales was dominated by Gwenydd and South Wales by Dyfed. In the early centuries of the Anglo-Saxon entrada, the term North Wales meant what we now call the country of Wales, plus territories to the east, while Dumnonia to the south (Cornwall, Devon, Somerset) was West Wales.)
There was also the Use of Durham or Durham Rite in the Diocese of Durham which developed into a unique form out of a fusion of the Gallican Rite and the Roman Rite.
The Diocese of Exeter in Devon and Cornwall if often said to have preferred the Use of Rome, but there is enough divergence to call it the Use of Exeter.
All of these were suppressed by Henry VIII in favor of the Use of Sarum in the 1530s, which itself bit the dust later in the more Protestant phase of the English Reformation.
In the Diocese of Sodor (Isle of Mann and the Hebrides) and the Diocese of Orkney (Orkney and Shetland), the churches followed the Use of Nidaros (Norway), at least until they were separated from that archdiocese.
The Channel Islands in the Deaneries of Jersey and of Guernsey of the Archdeaconry of Bauptois in the Archdiocese of Rouen followed the Use of Rouen.
The point of this is to point out that with a few variations nearly all parts of the British Isles practiced a slight variation of the Use of Sarum, and that statements about liturgical practices at the time is not taking English practice and extrapolating it inaccurately to the rest of the Isles, unlike the Tractarians of the Oxford Movement (also known as the Catholic Revival of the Church of England), which produced heavily-Romanized versions of the Use of Sarum and the Use of York.
At the Reformation, several the offices in rural deaneries were vacant, especially in Ireland, but the deaneries themselves existed.
Church in England, Wales, and Mann at the Reformation
I found most of this information in the 14th century Valuation of Norwich and in 1835 work of William Dansey, rector of Donhead, Wiltshire, and canon of Salisbury, written as part of a campaign to revive the deaneries which had all lain dormant since the Reformation.
Province of Canterbury:
Archdiocese of
Canterbury
Archdeaconry of
Canterbury
Deanery
of Bridge
Deanery
of Canterbury
Deanery
of Charing
Deanery
of Dover
Deanery
of Elham
Deanery
of Lympne
Deanery
of Ospringe
Deanery
of Sandwich
Deanery
of Sittingbourne
Deanery
of Sutton-Valance
Deanery
of Westbere
Diocese of Bath and
Wells
Archdeaconry of
Bath
Deanery
of Bath
Deanery
of Bedminster
Deanery
of Redcliffe
Archdeaconry of
Taunton
Deanery
of Bridgewater
Deanery
of Crewkerne
Deanery
of Dunster
Deanery
of Taunton
Archdeaconry of
Wells
Deanery
of Axbridge
Deanery
of Carey
Deanery
of Fromme
Deanery
of Glastonbury
Deanery
of Ilchester
Deanery
of Merston
Deanery
of Pawlett
Diocese of Chichester
Archdeaconry of
Chichester
Deanery
of Arundel
Deanery
of Borgrove
Deanery
of Chichester
Deanery
of Midhurst
Deanery
of Pagham
Deanery
of Storington
Deanery
of Terring
Archdeaconry of
Lewes
Deanery
of Dallington
Deanery
of Hastings
Deanery
of Lewes
Deanery
of Pevensey
Deanery
of South-Malling
Diocese of Coventry
and Lichfield
Archdeaconry of
Chester
Deanery
of Blackburn
Deanery
of Chester
Deanery
of Frodsham
Deanery
of Macclesfield
Deanery
of Malpas
Deanery
of Manchester
Deanery
of Middlewich
Deanery
of Nantwich
Deanery
of Warrington
Archdeaconry of
Coventry
Deanery
of Arden
Deanery
of Coventry
Deanery
of Marten
Deanery
of Stoneley
Archdeaconry of
Derby
Deanery
of Alto-Pecco (High Peak)
Deanery
of Ashborne
Deanery
of Castillar
Deanery
of Chesterfield
Deanery
of Derby
Deanery
of Repington
Archdeaconry of
Salop
Deanery
of Newport
Deanery
of Salop
Archdeaconry of
Stafford
Deanery
of Lapley and Treizell
Deanery
of Leeke and Alton
Deanery
of Newcastle and Stone
Deanery
of Tamworth and Tutbury
Diocese of Ely
Archdeaconry of
Ely
Deanery
of Abington
Deanery
of Barton
Deanery
of Bourne (Knapwell)
Deanery
of Cambridge
Deanery
of Camps (Wilbraham)
Deanery
of Chesterton
Deanery
of Ely
Deanery
of Shengay
Deanery
of Wisbech
Diocese of Exeter
Archdeaconry of
Barnstable
Deanery
of Barum (Barnstable)
Deanery
of Chulmleigh
Deanery
of Hartland
Deanery
of Shirwell
Deanery
of Southmolton
Deanery
of Torrington
Archdeaconry of
Cornwall
Deanery
of Bodmin
Deanery
of East Wivelshire
Deanery
of Kerrier
Deanery
of Penryn (Penwith)
Deanery
of Powdershire
Deanery
of Pydarshire
Deanery
of St. German’s
Deanery
of Trigg Major
Deanery
of Trigg Minor
Deanery
of West Wivelshire
Archdeaconry of
Exeter
Deanery
of Aylesbeare
Deanery
of Cadbury
Deanery
of Exeter
Deanery
of Dunkeswell
Deanery
of Dunsford
Deanery
of Honiton
Deanery
of Kenne
Deanery
of Plymtree
Deanery
of Tiverton
Archdeaconry of
Totnes
Deanery
of Holsworthy
Deanery
of Ipplepen
Deanery
of Moreton
Deanery
of Okehampton
Deanery
of Plympton
Deanery
of Tamerton
Deanery
of Tavistock
Deanery
of Totnes
Deanery
of Woodleigh
Diocese of Hereford
Archdeaconry of
Hereford
Deanery
of Fromme
Deanery
of Ichingfield
Deanery
of Lempster (Leominster)
Deanery
of Ross
Deanery
of Weobly
Deanery
of Weston
Archdeaconry of
Shropshire (Salop)
Deanery
of Burford
Deanery
of Clun
Deanery
of Ludlow
Deanery
of Pontesbury
Deanery
of Stottesdon
Deanery
of Wenlock
Diocese of Lincoln
Archdeaconry of
Bedford
Deanery
of Bedford
Deanery
of Clapham
Deanery
of Dunstable
Deanery
of Eaton
Deanery
of Fleete
Deanery
of Shefford
Archdeaconry of
Buckingham
Deanery
of Buckingham
Deanery
of Burnham
Deanery
of Mursley
Deanery
of Newport-Pagnell
Deanery
of Waddeson
Deanery
of Wendover
Deanery
of Wycombe
Archdeaconry of
Huntingdon
Deanery
of Baldock
Deanery
of Berkhampstead
Deanery
of Hertford
Deanery
of Hitchin
Deanery
of Huntingdon
Deanery
of Leightonstone
Deanery
of St. Ives
Deanery
of St. Neots
Deanery
of Yaxley
Archdeaconry of
Leicester
Deanery
of Akeley
Deanery
of Framland
Deanery
of Gartree
Deanery
of Goscote
Deanery
of Goodlaxton
Deanery
of Sparkenhoe
Archdeaconry of
Lincoln
Deanery
of Aveland
Deanery
of Beltislaw
Deanery
of Bolingbroke
Deanery
of Calcewaith
Deanery
of Candleshoe
Deanery
of Gartree
Deanery
of Graffoe
Deanery
of Grantham
Deanery
of Grimsby
Deanery
of Holland
Deanery
of Horncastle and Hill
Deanery
of Lafford (Ashwardhurn)
Deanery
of Lincoln
Deanery
of Longobovey
Deanery
of Loutheske and Ludburgh
Deanery
of Loveden
Deanery
of Nesse
Deanery
of Stamford
Deanery
of Walshcroft
Deanery
of Wraghoe
Deanery
of Yarsborough
Archdeaconry of
Northampton
Deanery
of Brackley
Deanery
of Daventry
Deanery
of Haddon
Deanery
of Higham-Ferrers
Deanery
of Northampton
Deanery
of Oakham-Soke
Deanery
of Oundle
Deanery
of Peterborough
Deanery
of Preston
Deanery
of Rothwell
Deanery
of Rutland (Martinsley)
Deanery
of Welton (Welden)
Deanery
of Wrungdike
Archdeaconry of
Oxford
Deanery
of Aston
Deanery
of Bicester (Burcester)
Deanery
of Chipping-Norton
Deanery
of Cuddesdon
Deanery
of Deddington
Deanery
of Dorchester
Deanery
of Henley
Deanery
of Oxford
Deanery
of Whitney
Deanery
of Woodstock (Bladon)
Archdeaconry of
Stow
Deanery
of Aslackoe
Deanery
of Corringham
Deanery
of Lawress
Deanery
of Manlake
Diocese of London
Archdeaconry of
Colchester
Deanery
of Colchester
Deanery
of Lexden
Deanery
of Newport
Deanery
of Sampford
Deanery
of Tendring
Deanery
of Witham
Archdeaconry of
Essex
Deanery
of Barking
Deanery
of Barstable
Deanery
of Chafford
Deanery
of Chelmsford
Deanery
of Dengie
Deanery
of Ongar
Deanery
of Rochford
Archdeaconry of
London
No
deaneries
Archdeaconry of
Middlesex
Deanery
of Braughing
Deanery
of Dunmow
Deanery
of Harlow
Deanery
of Hedingham
Deanery
of Middlesex
Archdeaconry of
St. Alban’s
No
deaneries
Diocese of Norwich
Archdeaconry of
Norfolk
Deanery
of Brooke
Deanery
of Burnham
Deanery
of Cranwich
Deanery
of Depwade
Deanery
of Fincham
Deanery
of Hingham
Deanery
of Hitcham
Deanery
of Humbleyard
Deanery
of Redenhall
Deanery
of Repps
Deanery
of Rockland
Deanery
of Waxham
Archdeaconry of
Norwich
Deanery
of Blofield
Deanery
of Breckles
Deanery
of Brisley
Deanery
of Flegg
Deanery
of Holt
Deanery
of Ingworth
Deanery
of Lynne
Deanery
of Norwich
Deanery
of Sparham
Deanery
of Taverham
Deanery
of Tostres
Deanery
of Walsingham
Archdeaconry of
Sudbury
Deanery
of Blackbourne
Deanery
of Clare
Deanery
of Fordham
Deanery
of Hartismere
Deanery
of Stow
Deanery
of Sudbury
Deanery
of Thedwastre
Deanery
of Thingoe
Archdeaconry of
Suffolk
Deanery
of Bosmere
Deanery
of Carlesford
Deanery
of Claydon
Deanery
of Colneys
Deanery
of Dunwich
Deanery
of Hoxon (Hoxne)
Deanery
of Ipswich
Deanery
of Loose (Loes)
Deanery
of Lothingland
Deanery
of Orford
Deanery
of Sampford
Deanery
of Wangford (Waynford)
Deanery
of Wilford
Diocese of Rochester
Archdeaconry of
Rochester
Deanery
of Dartford
Deanery
of Fordham
Deanery
of Milling
Deanery
of Rochester
Deanery
of Shoreham
Diocese of Salisbury
Archdeaconry of
Berkshire
Deanery
of Abingdon
Deanery
of Newbury
Deanery
of Reading
Deanery
of Wallingford
Archdeaconry of
Dorset
Deanery
of Bridport
Deanery
of Dorchester
Deanery
of Pimperne
Deanery
of Shaftesbury
Deanery
of Whitchurch
Archdeaconry of
Salisbury
Deanery
of Amesbury
Deanery
of Chalke
Deanery
of Potterne
Deanery
of Wilton
Deanry
of Wylyle
Archdeaconry of
Wiltshire
Deanery
of Avebury
Deanery
of Cricklade
Deanery
of Malmesbury
Deanery
of Marlborough
Diocese of Winchester
Archdeaconry of
Surrey
Deanery
of Ewell
Deanery
of Southwark
Deanery
of Stoke
Archdeaconry of
Winchester
Deanery
of Arlesford
Deanery
of Alton
Deanery
of Andover
Deanery
of Basingstroke
Deanery
of Drokinsford
Deanery
of Fordingbridge
Deanery
of Somborne
Deanery
of Southampton
Deanery
of Isle of Wight
Deanery
of Winchester
Diocese of Worcester
Archdeaconry of
Gloucester
Deanery
of Campden
Deanery
of Cirencester
Deanery
of Dursley
Deanery
of Fairford
Deanery
of Forest
Deanery
of Gloucester
Deanery
of Hawesbury
Deanery
of Stonehouse
Deanery
of Stow
Deanery
of Winchcombe
Archdeaconry of
Worcester
Deanery
of Blockley
Deanery
of Droitwich
Deanery
of Evesham
Deanery
of Kidderminster
Deanery
of Kinneton
Deanery
of Pershore
Deanery
of Powick
Deanery
of Warwick
Deanery
of Worcester
Wales (Province of Canterbury):
Diocese of St. Asaph’s
Archdeaconry of
St. Asaph’s
Deanery
of Bromfield
Deanery
of Carenion
Deanery
of Idernion
Deanery
of Keviliock
Deanery
of Kydewen
Deanery
of Marchia
Deanery
of Mothwy
Deanery
of Mould
Deanery
of Oswestry
Deanery
of Penlly
Deanery
of Poole
Deanery
of Rhos
Deanery
of Rufoniog
Deanery
of St. Asaph’s
Deanery
of Tegengle
Deanery
of Yale
Diocese of Bangor
Archdeaconry of
Bangor
Deanery
of Arvon (Uchor and Ister)
Deanery of Arllechwedd (Uchaph)
Deanery
of Isaph Nanconway and Cruthyn
Deanery
of Lleyn
Archdeaconry of
Merioneth
Deanery
of Ardudwy and Estimanner
Deanery
of Arnsey
Deanery
of Diffrynclwyd and Merch
Deanery
of Evionydd
Archdeaconry of
Anglesey
Deanery
of Dynydd and Turkely
Deanery
of Llivon and Talybolion
Deanery
of Meney and Maltraith
Deanery
of Twrelyn
Diocese of Llandaff
Archdeaconry of
Llandaff
Deanery
of Abergavenny
Deanery
of Gronneath (Cowbridge)
Deanery
of Llandaff
Deanery
of Nether Went
Deanery
of Newport
Deanery
of Usk
Diocese of St. David’s
Archdeaconry of
Brecon
Deanery
of Brecon
Deanery
of Buelte
Deanery
of Elwell
Deanery
of Melineth
Archdeaconry of
Cardigan
Deanery
of Emlyn
Deanery
of Kemmes
Deanery
of Sub-Ayron
Deanery
of Ultra-Aylon
Archdeaconry of
Carmarthen
Deanery
of Carmarthen
Deanery
of Kidwelly
Deanery
of Landilo and Llan-Gadog
Deanery
of Gower
Archdeaconry of
St. David’s
Deanery
of Dongledie
Deanery
of Pebidiawke
Deanery
of Pembroke
Deanery
of Rouse
Isle of Mann (Province of Canterbury):
Diocese of Sodor and
Mann
Archdeaconry of
Mann
No
deaneries
Channel Islands (Province of Rouen):
The Channel Islands were (and still are) the last remaining possession of the English crown in Normandy. Though officially in the Diocese of Salisbury since a Papal Bull of 1496, their churches remained functionally part of the Diocese of Coutances in the Province of Rouen, making up a large part of the Archdeaconry of the Isles (later ‘of the Bauptois’), the seat of which was at Baupte, until they were transferred to the Diocese of Winchester by Elizabeth I in 1569. The island of Alderney in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, remained a possession of the Bishop of Coutances until 1586. The islands were not made part of an archdeaconry of the diocese but came directly under the bishop.
Diocese of Coutances
Archdeaconry of
the Isles
Deanery of Jersey
Deanery of Guernsey
Province of York:
Archdiocese of York
Cathedral: St.
Peter’s, York, Yorkshire
Archdeaconry of
Cleveland
Deanery
of Bulmer
Deanery
of Cleveland
Deanery
of Ryedale
Archdeaconry of
East Riding
Deanery of Buckrose
Deanery of Dickering
Deanery of Harthill
Deanery of Holderness
Archdeaconry of
Nottingham
Deanery
of Bingham
Deanery
of Newark
Deanery
of Nottingham
Deanery
of Retford
Deanery
of Southwell
Archdeaconry of
Richmond
Deanery
of Amounderness
Deanery of Boroughbridge
Deanery of Catterick
Deanery
of Coupland
Deanery
of Furness
Deanery
of Kendal
Deanery
of Kirkby-Lonsdale
Deanery of Richmond
Archdeaconry of
York
Deanery
of Ainsty
Deanery
of Craven
Deanery
of Doncaster
Deanery
of Pontefact
Deanery
of York
Diocese of Carlisle
Archdeaconry of
Carlisle
Deanery
of Allerdale
Deanery
of Carlisle
Deanery
of Penrith
Deanery
of Westmoreland
Diocese of Durham
Archdeaconry of
Durham
Deanery
of Chester-le-Street
Deanery
of Darlington
Deanery
of Easington
Deanery
of Stockton
Archdeaconry of
Northumberland
Deanery
of Alnwick
Deanery
of Bamburgh
Deanery
of Corbridge
Deanery
of Morpeth
Deanery
of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
* * * * * * *
Church in Ireland at the Reformation
Finding the deaneries of Ireland was the most difficult. The article “The meddieval rural dean and rural deanery in Ireland” by Paul MacCottar was quite helpful, especially listing the dioceses which did actually have no deaneries at all, but it still only listed a few of these.
The church in Ireland after the Cambro-Norman (1169) and Anglo-Norman (1172) invasions became split between the Ecclesia inter Anglicos and the Ecclesia inter Hibernicos. The former predominated especially with The Pale, the “four obedient shires” of Cos. Dublin, Meath, Louth, and Kildare, but also in northeast Ulster (Cos. Antrim and Down), the rest of Leinster, and most of Munster. The second predominated in Connact, including its old southern territories in Co. Clare, and the remainder of Ulster.
Put simplistically, Ecclesia inter Hibernicos included the dioceses of Armagh, Derry, Raphoe, Clogher, Kilmore, Ardagh, Elphin, Achonry, Killala, Tuam, Annaghdown, Kilmacduagh, Kilnefora, Killaloe, Clonfert, Clonmacnoise, Elphin, Ardagh, and Ross. Likewise simplistically, Ecclesia inter Anglicos included the dioceses of Down and Connor, Dromore, Meath, Dublin, Kildare, Leighlin, Ferns, Ossory, Waterford and Lismore, Cloyne, Cork, Cashel, Emly, Limerick, and Ardfert.
This division was not, however, cut and dried, and it waxed and waned according to the degree of control from England. Because it has the best records from the medieval period (those of the others having largely been destroyed), the best illustration of this internal division is the Archdiocese of Armagh, whose bishop was always English or Hiberno-English (with one Italian) but whose sole archdeadon was always native Irish. Its cathedral also hosted the last surviving chapter of Culdees.
Province of Armagh:
Archdiocese of Armagh
Archdeaconry of
Armagh
(Armagh inter
Anglicos)
Deanery
of Ardee
Deanery
of Drogheda
Deanery
of Dundalk
(Armagh inter
Hibernicos)
Deanery
of Tullyhogue
Deanery
of Orior
Diocese of Ardagh
Archdeaconry of
Ardagh
No deaneries
Diocese of Clogher
Archdeaconry of
Clogher
Deanery
of Clones (Clanaeda)
Deanery
of Donaghmoyne
Deanery
of Lough Erne
Diocese of Derry
Archdeaconry of
Derry
Deanery
of Binnagh (Rathlowry)
Deanery
of Inishowen (Derry)
Deanery
of Mahey (Magurtha)
Diocese of Down and
Connor (united 1439)
Archdeaconry of
Connor
Deanery
of Moyliny (Maulyne)
Deanery
of Mourne
Deanery
of Tutere (Turtrye)
Deanery
of Twescard (Tuscardy, Tuischeart)
Archdeaconry of
Down
Deanery
of Ards
Deanery
of Blaethwyc
Deanery
of Clondermod
Deanery
of Dalboyn (Delvin)
Deanery
of Lechayll
Diocese of Dromore
Archdeaconry of
Dromore
Deanery of Aghaderg
Deanery of Dromore
Deanery of Kilbroney
Deanery of Kilmegan
Diocese of Kilmore
(Tirbriuin)
Archdeaconry of
Kilmore
No
deaneries
Diocese of Meath
Archdeaconry of
Meath
Deanery of Athboy
Deanery of Clara
Deanery of Clonard
Deanery of Duleek
Deanery
of Dunshaughlin
Deanery
of Fore
Deanery
of Loughsuedy
Deanery of Mullingar
Deanery of Ratoath
Deanery of Skreen
Deanery of Slane
Deanery of Trim
Archdeaconry of
Kells (Nobber)
Diocese of Raphoe
Archdeaconry of
Raphoe
No
deaneries
Province of Cashel:
Archdiocese of Cashel
Archdeaconry of
Cashel
Deanery
of Ely
Deanery
of Fethard
Deanery
of Owthny (Killenaule)
Deanery
of Muskery
Deanery
of Slewardagh
Diocese of Ardfert
Archdeaconry of
Ardfert
Deanery
of O’Dorney (O’Thorna and O’Flannan)
Deanery
of Rathygg
Deanery
of Trughenacmy (Hacnye)
Archdeaconry of
Aghadoe
Deanery
of Aghadoe (Hacudeo)
Deanery
of Offeria (Corcaguiney)
Diocese of Cloyne
Archdeaconry of
Cloyne
Deanery of Fermoy
Deanery
of Muskerry-Donegan
Deanery
of Muskerry
Deanery of Olethan
Deanery of Omakill
Diocese of Cork
Archdeaconry of
Cork
Deanery of Corkolwyn
Deanery of Kerry
Deanery of Kilmoan Fernlowe
Deanery of Kinalea Citra
Deanery
of Kinalea Ultra
Deanery
of Ocurblethan
Diocese of Emly
Archdeaconry of
Emly
Deanery
of Aherlow (Natherlach)
Deanery
of Grean
Deanery
of Owney (Wetheny)
Deanery
of Tipperary
Diocese of Kilnefora
Archdeaconry of
Kilnefora
No
deaneries
Diocese of Killaloe
Archdeaconry of
Killaloe
Deanery of Corkavaskin
Deanery of Drumcliffe
Deanery
of Ely and Igerim
Deanery of O’Gassin
Deanery of Omulled
Deanery
of Ormond
Deanery of Tradry
Diocese of Limerick
Archdeaconry of
Limerick
Deanery of Adare
Deanery of Ardagh
Deanery of Kilmallock
Deanery of Limerick (Garthe)
Deanery of Rathkeale
Diocese of Ross
Archdeaconry of
Ross
Deanery of Berry (Beare)
Deanery of Corkyterragh
Deanery of Obahumpna
Diocese of Waterford
and Lismore
Archdeaconry of
Waterford
Deanery
of Waterford
Archdeaconry of
Lismore
Deanery
of Ardfinan
Deanery
of Ardmore
Deanery
of Kilbarrymeaden
Deanery
of Kilsheelan
Deanery
of Lismore
Province of Dublin:
Archdiocese of Dublin
Archdeaconry of
Dublin
Deanery
of Bray
Deanery
of Clondalkin
Deanery
of Swords
Deanery
of Tallaght
Deanery
of Taney
Archdeaconry of
Glendalough
Deanery
of Arklow
Deanery
of Athy
Deanery
of Drogheda
Deanery
of Leixlip
Deanery
of Newcastle
Deanery
of Wicklow
Diocese of Ferns
Archdeaconry of
Ferns
Deanery
of Ballaghkeen
Deanery
of Bargy
Deanery
of Duffrey
Deanery
of Forth
Deanery
of Gorey
Deanery
of Shelbourne
Deanery
of Shillelagh
Deanery
of Shilmaleer
Diocese of Kildare
Archdeaconry of
Kildare
Deanery
of Carbery
Deanery
of Clane
Deanery
of Clonkerry
Deanery of Kildare
Deanery
of Killeigh
Deanery
of Naas
Deanery
of Offaly
Deanery
of Tolemoy
Diocese of Leighlin
Archdeaconry of
Leighlin
Deanery
of Bargy
Deanery
of Forth (Faughart, Focherd)
Deanery
of Leix
Deanery
of Odrona
Deanery
of Omboy
Deanery
of Tulloghfelim (Ofelmeth)
Diocese of Ossory
Archdeaconry of
Ossory
Deanery
of Aghaboe
Deanery
of Aghtur
Deanery
of Claragh
Deanery
of Kenlys (Kells)
Deanery
of Kilkenny
Deanery
of Obargoun
Deanery
of Odagh (Three Castles)
Deanery
of Iverk
Deanery
of Shillelogher
Province of Tuam:
Archdiocese of Tuam
Archdeaconry of
Tuam
Deanery of Athenry
Deanery of Mayo
Deanery of Shrule
Deanery
of Struthir
Deanery of Tuam
Archdeaconry of
Owles (Umhall)
Diocese of Achonry
Archdeaconry of
Achonry
No deaneries
Diocese of Annaghdown
(until 1485)
Archdeaconry of
Annaghdown
Deanery
of Meary (Moydrig, Medraige)
Diocese of Clonfert
Archdeaconry of
Clonfert
Deanery of Clonfert
Deanery of Duniry (Drondery)
Deanery of Loughrea
Deanery of Urrachree
Diocese of
Clonmacnoise
Archdeaconry of
Clonmacnoise
Deanery
of Ballyloughloe
Deanery
of Clonmacnoise
Diocese of Elphin
Archdeaconry of
Elphin
Deanery of Ardcarn
Deanery
of Drumcliffe
Deanery
of Elphin
Deanery
of Roscommon
Diocese of Killala
Archdeaconry of
Killala
No deaneries
Diocese of Kilmacduagh
Archdeaconry of
Kilmacduagh
No deaneries
* * * * * * *
Of the three major divisions, Scotland was easiest of all as all of the relevant information is contained in James Rankins’ 1888 work A Handbook of the Church of Scotland. Since the Scottish Church changed so completely and so radically from its pre-Reformation form to that afterward, there is less confusion about which deaneries were medieval and such.
In addition to the following secular foundations, regular houses in Scotland, all of which were independent of the secular structures, numbered 239, including 57 monkeries, 24 canonries, 51 friaries, 21 preceptories, 24 nunneries, and 83 hospitals.
Church in Scotland at the Reformation
Province of St. Andrews:
Archdiocese of St.
Andrews
See: St. Andrews; 253
churches (33 collegiate) & 81 chapels
Archdeaconry of
St. Andrews
Deanery of Angus,
Deanery of Fife
Deanery of Fothriff
Deanery of Gowrie
Deanery of Mearns
Archdeaconry of
Lothian
Deanery of East Lothian (Haddington)
Deanery of Linlithgow (Lindidcu)
Deanery of Merse (Berwick)
Diocese of Aberdeen
(Buchan & Marr)
See: Old Aberdeen; 96
churches (3 collegiate) & 53 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Aberdeen
Deanery of Aberdeen
Deanery of Buchan
Deanery of Boyne (Buyn)
Deanery of Garioch
Deanery of Marr
Diocese of Brechin
(Mearns)
See: Brechin; 30
churches (1 collegiate) & 11 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Brechin
No deaneries
Diocese of Caithness
See: Dornoch; 25
churches & 67 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Caithness
No deaneries
Diocese of Moray
See: Elgin; 77
churches (1 collegiate) & 30 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Moray
Deanery of Elgin
Deanery of Inverness
Deanery of Strathbogie
Deanery of Strathspey
Diocese of Orkney
(Kirkwall)
See: Kirkwall; 52
churches & 40 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Orkney
No
deaneries
Archdeaconry of
Tingwall (Shetland)
No
deanieries
Diocese of Ross
See: Fortrose; 38
churches (1 collegiate) & 30 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Ross
No deaneries
Province of Glasgow:
Archdiocese of
Glasgow
See: Glasgow; 239
churches (11 collegiate) & 110 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Glasgow
Deanery of Carrick
Deanery of Clydesdale (Lanark)
Deanery of Kyle and Cunningham (Ayr)
Deanery of Lennox (Luss)
Deanery of Peebles (Stobo)
Deanery of Rutherglen (Renfew, Kilbride)
Archdeaconry of
Teviotdale
Deanery of Annandale
Deanery of Eskdale
Deanery of Nithdale (Dumfries)
Deanery of Teviotdale
Diocese of Argyll
See: Lismore; 47
churches (2 collegiate) & 47 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Argyll
Deanery of Glassary
Deanery of Kintyre
Deanery of Lorn
Deanery of Morvern
Diocese of Dunblane (Strathearn)
See: Dunblane; 43 churches (3 collegiate) & 9 chapels
Archdeaconry of Dunblane
No deaneries
Diocese of Dunkeld (Gowrie)
See: Dunkeld; 67 churches & 16 chapels
Archdeaconry of Dunkeld
Deanery of Atholl and Breadalbane
Deanery of Angus
Deanery of Fife and Forthriff
Deanery of South of Forth
Diocese of Galloway
See: Whithorn; 57
churches (1 collegiate) & 20 chapels
Archdeaconry of
Galloway
Deanery of Desnes
Deanery of Farines
Deanery of Rhinns
Diocese of the Isles
See: Iona; 44
churches & 32 chapels
Archdeaconry of
the Isles
No deaneries
