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 TO the Church of Wakefield were belonging twenty four Chantry Priests, each of whom had his lodgings in certain houses on the North of the Church Yard, in Northgate, and in the street called Bread Booths, now Ratten Row.

According to Archbishop Holgate’s return of Chantries, the following were in the Parish Church and Town of Wakefield :-

The Chantry called Pilkington’s Chantry, founded by Sir John Pilkington.

Soothill’s Chantry of four Priests, founded by Henry Soothill.

The Chantry of our Lady.

Graistock Chantry, founded by William Graistock.

Bannister’s Chantry, founded by Thurstan Bannister.

Chantry of Two Priests on Wakefield Bridge, refounded by Edward, Duke of York.

Chantry of St. Mary Maudeleine, founded by the Parishioners.

Chantry of the Chapel of St. John, founded by John Locke.

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IN Willis’s mitred Abbeys, the Chantries at Wakefield are thus noticed:

WAKEFIELD BRIDGE CHANTRY, £. s. d.

To Richard Seal, Incumbent, .............5 0 0

THURSTAN CHANTRY,

To Edward Wood, Incumbent, ..........4 4 0

St. Swithen’s CHANTRY,

To Tho. Westerman, Chantry Priest, .2 1 6

SOOTHILL CHANTRY,

To William Croxton, Chantry Priest, .5 0 0

WAKEFIELD PARISH CHURCH,

ToWm. Northend, Priest, incumbent, 2 18 10

SOISILL CHANTRY,

To John Wylsonue, Chantry Priest, ...5 0 0

VIRGIN MARY’s CHANTRY,

To Richard Ball, Incumbent, .............1 17 10

FRYNGYE CHANTRY,

To Christopher Steele, Incumbent, ....4 7 2

Most of these Chantries are no longer to be traced, it seems, however, probable that the Chantry of St. Swithen, founded by an Earl Warren, and of which Dr. Whitaker in his Loidis and Elmete says he can find no vestige, was near to the well, yet called St. Swithen’s well, at no great distance from Stanley Hall, and that called in Archbishop Holgate’s return, the Chantry of St. Mary Maudeleine, on or near the bridge over the brook at the bottom of Westgate, hence called Maudeleine Bridge.

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St. John’s Chantry was at the top of Northgate, where it has been erroneously supposed that the original Parish Church once Stood. Leland in his Itinerary mentions that near one of the Chantries an Anchoret lived, and when Dodsworth made his Survey, an excavation on the South side of the remains of St. John’s Chantry, was pointed out to him as the Anchoret’s ancient abode.

There appear to have been three distinct erections of this Church :

1st. The original Norman Edifice, which remained till the beginning of the reign of Edward the Third, whilst John, last Earl Warren was tenant of Wakefield for life.

2nd. The Church consecrated by Archbishop William Melton, 1829 This Church being accommodated to the then increased population of the town, consisted of three Aisles, and might have been supposed likely to have endured for many years; but for some reason, now unknown, it was, with the exception of the Tower and Spire, entirely demolished in about one hundred and forty years from its erection, and the present beautiful structure rose in its place. It has indeed been asserted on tradition that the Church originally stood on other ground, but for this report there is no sort of foundation. In the year 1724, the south side of the Church was entirely rebuilt, and within the last thirty years the north side and east end have been also rebuilt, and a commodious vestry added at that end.

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These re-buildings and additions have been made with more regard to durability than attention to the original architecture of the pile, but notwithstanding the faults which may occur to the eye of taste, it has a grand and imposing appearance.

The length of the Church is 156 feet and its breadth 69. The Tower which from its style of architecture appears to be about the time of Edward III. and consequently belonged to the second Church, is 22 feet wide in the inside and with its spire more than 237 feet high. The Spire is octagonal, four of its sides stand on the walls of the tower, the other four are supported by arches which spring from below the floor of the spire, and extend from side to side of the tower. Its original height was above 125 feet; the walls at its base where it rises from the tower are 10 inches thick. In the year 1715 the Vane with about one-third of the Spire having been blown down, it was partially rebuilt, but neither to its original altitude nor in due proportion with the old part. These repairs were considered effectual until the year 1802, when on inspecting the spire, it was found so much shaken towards the summit, that the stones for several courses were quite separated from each other, and admitted the weather on all sides. On the suggestion of several gentlemen of experience it was a second time repaired, and secured by iron bands, surrounding it at intervals from the summit to its base; but in the present year (1823) fears were again entertained of its security. The Vane, which for a

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long period had been stationary, and thus offered a very great resistance to the wind, had loosened many parts of the masonry, so that Mr. Charles Mountain, an eminent Architect of Hull, employed by the Churchwardens to examine it, stated the necessity of taking down and rebuilding 15 feet thereof, in order to render it perfectly secure. This has been done; besides which the spire has been carried up to the height it was when first corn-pleated: a new Vane is also fixed upon it of lighter construction than the former, and which by offering a smaller surface to the action of the wind, is less liable to do future injury. The tower has suffered by the introduction of a large belfry-window and door-way beneath, in other respects it retains all its original character.

There have been at least four different peals of bells in this Tower. In 1778 the Inhabitants empowered the Churchwardens to contract with Messrs. Pack and Chapman of London, for an exchange of the old bells, which were hung in 1739, for a new peal of eight. The tenor to weigh 24 cwt. the rest in proportion. This peal was put up soon after, and in the year 1817 was displaced by the present musical one of ten bells, from the foundry of Mr. Thomas Mears of London, who on that occasion presented the Churchwardens with a peal of twelve hand bells for the use of the ringers for the time being.