Inns, Wine and the Church

[Bayleaf]

This is part of an article which first appeared in the Transactions of The Hunter Archaeological Society and is reproduced here by kind permission of the Society.

INNS, WINE AND THE CHURCH.

The circumstance that three of the tenants in Coulston Crofts were also, in succession, landlords of the King's Head Inn, and in that connection were typical of the intimate relations existing between inns and the Church, brings me to the parsons and publicans section of my paper's title.

“ Where God hath a temple, the Devil will have a'chapel," wrote Robert Burton in his "Anatomy of Melancholy," and George Herbert, Drummond of Hawthenden, and Daniel Defoe have uttered the same sarcasm in similar words. And one fears these have a large measure of truth.

The Clerk or Sexton of the Sheffield Parish Church was at one time the keeper of a public-house hard by, and he is said to have made it a practice to invite the mourners to adjourn to his parlour.[1]

So, too, the parish clerk of a not distant moorland hamlet had a house known as " Heaven's Gate," and as the company left the graveside he was accustomed to announce: "'Friends of the corpse is respectfully requested to call at my house, and partake then and there of such refreshments as is provided for them "-which too often meant not going home till morning.

And unless they are maligned, the parson appreciated the comforts of' " Heaven's Gate," and the churchwardens ordered Communion wine so liberally as to leave several bottles for consumption off the sacred and on the licensed premises - where the Communion plate was kept.[2]

Perhaps something of the same kind explains in part the amazingly large payments for Communion wine recorded in the Account Books of the Sheffield Capital Burgesses, and a resolution like this :-

" Ordered that for the future the churchwardens give an account how much wine they take up for the Sacrament, and how much the Capitall [burgess] to Pay for, and that each stranger that preaches have one bottel of wine whether he preach once or twice : That the Vicar have a bottel of sack at Easter, Whitsuntide, and Christmas, and a bottel of wine every Sacrament day: Besides the three Assistants to have each a bottel of wine at Easter, Whitsuntide, and Christmas - The Church Wardens have each a bottel of wine at Easter.

1710 Agreed that Mr. Dossie (Vicar) have a bottel of wine` [thus distinguished from " sack "] at Xmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide.

1710 Dec. 8 Agreed that ... the Cappitall Burgess take up the wine, or order it to be taken up; and that the churchwardens meddle not in taking up the wine. And a particular account be taken by those the wine is bought off, and by them delivered to the Cappitall, viz., how much to the Sacraments; and how much to the Viccar and Asistants p’suant to the late order."

1735 That the Capitall Burgess shall for the future only be allowed to give 6 bottles of wine to the Church and Chapell Wardens-that is each one a bottle.

And as to the Sacrament wine, I am afraid we must conclude that communicants too frequently took it not in sips, but in swigs.[3]

But the Church was a good customer to the innkeeper in other ways. It was a time when outpouring of liquor was the chief way of showing hospitality, and the "cracking" of a bottle was an accepted ceremonial in sealing a bargain. Whenever an Archbishop or Bishop came to discharge ecclesiastical functions, "wine to treat the Bishop " or " wine to present to the Bishop," appears in the accounts.

Sometimes details are given, as thus in 1711 :-

" More wine paid Mrs. Pegg, the same being had when the Bishop was here, viz., 3 gallons of red wine £l ; 6 quarts of canary; 15s.; 3 gallons of sherry £1 8s.; 3 gallons of white wine- £ l"

Arid preachers from elsewhere usually had a bottle of wine in addition to their fee:-

“ 1647 Mr. Metcalfe for his panes coming to Sheffield being sent for by the Burgesses £2. Also wine and sugar 12s."

And in 1780:-

" Paid for the expenses of a treat to the Rev Mr. Sutcliffe when he preached two sermons at the Old Church”.

The Capital Burgesses held their meetings at one or other of the inns whether their business was sacred or secular-whether to appoint an

Assistant Minister, or to elect a new colleague, or to grant leases, or to order a new bell rope, or new snuffers for the ringers' candles.

Thus (1729) "Spent on wine when Mr. Hemmingway was chosen Asst. Minr."

Or (1731) "Spent at a meeting when Mr. Hemmingway lay ill."

Ditto "Spent when Mr. Tempest was chosen ass: min: , in ye room of ye late Mr. Hemmingway. "

1729 "Spent at "Cock" when Burgesses went about ye town to view houses, and at other meetings."

1730 "Spent at " Cock '' when new Burgess chosen."

1730 "Spent at Watson's when new Burgess chosen."

About this time it seems to have dawned on the Burgesses that they were too lavish on themselves, so they passed this self-denying ordinance :-

1731 "'Tis agreed not to spend above 5s. at any one of ye meetings of ye Burgesses, and not to spend above 20s. a year at such meetings, ye Feast day excepted, for which an allowance is to be made as usual."

It was, however, a case of

" When the Devil was sick, the Devil a monk would be;

But when the Devil got well, the devil a monk was he,"

for, not long afterwards, the counsel of perfection was set at nought :

1738 " Paid the Collector's expenses at several meetings of the Burgesses about the Church affairs by a late agreement, he being not stinted."

And still later, in 1787, the Burgesses held 6 meetings at James Watson's, their expenses amounting to £13 3s. 1d.

The non-appearance of one of their colleagues at a meeting was the reason of this entry in the accounts (1730) :-

Spent at Will. Higgens whilst a messenger was despatched to Broom Hall to know if Mr. Jessop would come down to ye Burgesses-9d.

Notes

[1]John Holland's Our Old Churchyard, p. 9.

[2]The Parish Church, P. H. Ditchfield; p. 218.

[3] In extracts from the Duffield Churchwardens’ Accounts, published since this lecture was delivered; the Rev. J. C. Cox notes “the grievous and scandalous amounts spent in beer and feasting” at churchwardens’ elections; and he speaks of the quantity of wine consumed at Communion there and at Wirksworth, as “monstrous”. Derbyshire Arch. Society Journal, XXXIX, pp.11 and 36n.

[RichardB]

Sometimes details are given, as thus in 1711 :-

" More wine paid Mrs. Pegg, the same being had when the Bishop was here, viz., 3 gallons of red wine £l ; 6 quarts of canary; 15s.; 3 gallons of sherry £1 8s.; 3 gallons of white wine- £ l"

Great stuff, I'd have been happy for that document to go on forever. Thanks again to you and HAS.

Rose and Crown, Market Place

James Goodie (1675),

Thomas Pegg (1681),

Christopher Pegg (died 1700),

Jane Pegg (Widow, died 1723),

William Watson (1723-1728),

John Greaves (1786- 1804 - Death),

James Heiffer to 1807, Thomas Watson

1807-1812. 1812 William Younge, owner, replaced it with shops.

[RichardB]

1729 "Spent at "Cock" when Burgesses went about ye town to view houses, and at other meetings."

1730 "Spent at " Cock '' when new Burgess chosen."

No known keepers for The Cock, High Street.

[Bayleaf]

Great stuff, I'd have been happy for that document to go on forever. Thanks again to you and HAS.

Rose and Crown, Market Place

James Goodie (1675),

Thomas Pegg (1681),

Christopher Pegg (died 1700),

Jane Pegg (Widow, died 1723),

William Watson (1723-1728),

John Greaves (1786- 1804 - Death),

James Heiffer to 1807, Thomas Watson

1807-1812. 1812 William Younge, owner, replaced it with shops.

Have a look at Part 4 I just posted, right up your street I think Richard!