Pages 276-291
Historical Account of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Including the Borough of Gateshead. Originally published by Mackenzie and Dent, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1827.
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In this section
VICARS OF ST. NICHOLAS. (fn. 1)
Richard de Aurea Valle, or Goldburn, as de Aurea Valle is translated, was parson of this church during the reign of king Henry I.
Gilbert de Lacy held the office of vicar in the time of king Henry III. as is proved by the Tynemouth Chartulary.
William de Burdone occurs as vicar in the year 1316, and also in 1327. Master John de Herlaw was vicar in 1342.
Matthew de Bolton was vicar in 1353. (fn. 2)
Henry Headlam was vicar in 1386.
Nicholas de S............ occurs as vicar in 1401.
Roger de Thresk was vicar before 1418.
William Glyn was instituted to the vicarage January 20, 1418. (fn. 3)
John de Heyworth was made vicar in 1436. (fn. 4)
Thomas Harelred was vicar before 1494.
John Deye, D. D. was vicar at the feast of St Cuthbert, in 1494.
William Fell was vicar before 1499. (fn. 5)
John Sanderson was vicar before 1532.
John Heryn, LL. D. occurs as vicar in 1536, and also in 1541. (fn. 6)
Henry Aglionbye, S. T. P. succeeded Heryn in 1543. (fn. 7)
William Peerye, A. M. succeeded Aglionbye July 15, 1549.
William Salkeld, A. M. was vicar about 1553. (fn. 8)
John Magbrey, clerk, was instituted vicar November 13, 1560. (fn. 9)
Richard Holdsworth, clerk, was made vicar August 10, 1585. (fn. 10)
William Morton, S. T. P. succeeded Holdsworth in 1596. (fn. 11)
Henry Power, A. M. was inducted to this vicarage September 23, 1620. (fn. 12)
Thomas Jackson, S. T. P. became vicar November 27, 1623. (fn. 13)
Yeldred Alvey became vicar on Dr. Jackson's removal to Oxford in 1630. (fn. 14)
Robert Jennison, D. D. was appointed vicar by the house of commons, December 5, 1644. (fn. 15)
Samuel Hammond was appointed vicar by the town, November 5, 1652. (fn. 16)
John Knightbridge (fn. 17) is said to have succeeded Hammond.
Thomas Nailor, A. M. was instituted to this vicarage, February 9, 1662. (fn. 18)
John March, B. D. occurs as vicar June 25, 1679. (fn. 19)
Leonard Welstead was inducted vicar in February, 1693. (fn. 20)
Nathaniel Ellison, D. D. was appointed vicar November 22, 1694, and inducted 5th December following. (fn. 21)
William Bradford, A. M. was inducted to this vicarage August 2, 1721. (fn. 22)
Thomas Turner, A. M. was appointed vicar in August, 1728. (fn. 23)
John Brown, D. D. was inducted to this vicarage January 6, 1761. (fn. 24)
Richard Fawcett, D. D. became vicar January 3, 1767. (fn. 25)
James Stephen Lushington, A. M. was inducted to this vicarage August 10, 1782. (fn. 26)
Joseph Dacre Carlyle, B. D. was inducted to this living October 5, 1801. (fn. 27)
John Smith, A. M. succeeded to this vicarage May 19, 1804. (fn. 28)
John Dodd was inducted to this vicarage April 21, 1826. (fn. 29)
In the list of procurations due to Edward, Lord Bishop of Durham. A. D. 1740, in Newcastle deanery—St. Nicholas' vicarage to pay £1, 2s. Also in the procurations payable to the archdeacon of Northumberland, St. Nicholas' in Newcastle to pay, at Easter, ten shillings—at Michaelmas, six shillings.
THE VICARAGE.
The situation of the Vicarage in Westgate, between St. John's church and the Assembly Rooms, is very pleasant and retired. There is a neat grass plot and a shrubbery in front, with a garden behind. A fine ornamental ash tree, which stood in the west corner of the gardens, was blown down September 10, 1816. The house appears to have been almost entirely destroyed by the Scots after taking the town in 1644; and there is an order of common council, dated September 24, 1649, "to save harmlesse Dr. Robert Jennison from dilapidations concerning the Vicarage-house." It seems, from the style of its architecture, to have been rebuilt shortly after this time. It was repaired and enlarged by Dr. Ellison in 1694. There was a hall in it in Bourne's time, "very grand and stately," where he tells us the vicars were wont to entertain the inferior officers of churches, the clerks, sextons, &c. at the season of Christmas. Dr. Brown, when vicar, fitted up a large elegant room in it; and the late vicar made a new gate, and a gothic door-way of stone, in the outer brick wall. After all, it must be acknowledged that the parsonage-house is very deficient in accommodations, and unworthy the dignity of the town, in the present highly improved state of domestic architecture.
AFTERNOON LECTURERS AT ST. NICHOLAS'.
William Peirson occurs A. D. 1604. (fn. 30)
Thomas Stephenson was lecturer August 31. 1634: resigned December 9, 1639.
John Bewick, A. M. succeeded Stephenson.
George Wishart, D. D. was appointed May 12, 1643. (fn. 31)
Cuthbert Sydenham and William Durant appointed May 30, 1645. (fn. 32)
John Tilsley occurs March 20, 1656. (fn. 33)
John Knightbridge occurs March 2, 1657. (fn. 34)
Dr. Wishart resumed this lectureship about 1660.
John Bewick, A. M. appointed August 27, 1662.
William Mair succeeded Bewick July 27, 1671. (fn. 35)
John March appointed August 30, 1676. (fn. 36)
John Rawlett appointed June 25, 1679. (fn. 37)
Jonathan Davison, B. D. succeeded to this lectureship October 4, 1686. (fn. 38)
George Tully, A. M. appointed December 2, 1687. (fn. 39)
Robert Thomlinson was appointed in 1695. (fn. 40)
Thomas Dockwray, A. M. succeeded Dr. Thomlinson March 7, 1724. (fn. 41)
Thomas Dockwray, A. M. succeeded his uncle December 20, 1752. (fn. 42)
Henry Ridley, A. M. was appointed December 17, 1783. (fn. 43)
John Forster, A. M. on the resignation of Mr. Ridley, January 19, 1801.
James Blackburn, A. M. appointed January 19, 1807. (fn. 44)
Henry Deer Griffith, A. M. appointed September 20, 1822.
CURATES OF ST. NICHOLAS'.
Sir Hugh of Arneliffe occurs as curate April 18, 1366. (fn. 45)
Alan Whitehead was curate in 1369.
John de Skyndilby occurs in 1380.
John Mitford is mentioned in Randall's MSS. 1424.
Sir Thomas Arthur occurs October 8, 1499.
Thomas Kay, curate, is mentioned in the parish register in 1577.
Cuthbert Ewbancke, curate, occurs May, 1595.
William Peirson is mentioned May 20. 1604.
Christopher Forster occurs in the years 1622 and 1633.
Thomas Turner was ejected in 1645.
Nicholas Stote occurs in Bishop Cosins' Register in 1663. (fn. 46)
Ralph Astell, A. M. occurs in 1667. (fn. 47)
William Drake, A. M. was curate (salary £25 per annum) in 1678.
Francis Woodness, A. M. was appointed June 27, 1693. (fn. 48)
Michael Fenwick, A. M. occurs in 1697. (fn. 49)
Edmond Lodge, D. D. occurs in 1706; became master of the grammar-school in 1715.
John Cowling, A. M. appointed September 26, 1715. (fn. 50)
William Wilkinson, A. M. succeeded Mr. Cowling in 1739.
Richard Brewster. A. M. appointed December 20, 1756.
Cuthbert Wilson, A. M. on R. Brewster's resignation, June 17, 1762.
John Ellison, clerk, appointed May 31, 1791.
Henry Deer Griffith, B. A. (afterwards A. M.) appointed May 17, 1808.
Christopher Benson, B. A. (afterwards A. M.) appointed on Mr. Griffith's resignation, July 19, 1812.
John Barnet, B. A. appointed on the resignation of Mr. Benson, June 25, 1820.
UNDER CURATES.
The upper clerk of this parish dying 1724, it was thought more beneficial to the parish to have an assistant to the curate, which was done accordingly the same year.
William Thompson, clerk, appointed under curate October, 1724.
July 6, 1725, Mr. George Hall.
John Thompson appointed under curate March 26, 1739.
—Stoddart. under curate.—Quære at what time?
John Ellison, clerk, removed hither from St. Andrew's, December 20, 1756.
George Emerson, clerk, appointed May 31, 1791.
Atkinson Hird, clerk, appointed May 22, 1793.
Joseph Wilkinson, clerk, appointed April 28, 1807.
John Barnet, B. A. appointed August 13, 1816.
The following services, in Bourne's time, were performed in this church:—
"In these weeks in which are no holydays, there is a Catechetical Lecture in this church, for the instruction of the boys of the grammar-school, and those of the charity-schools, who are examined in their turns.
"This is done by the vicar, the morning lecturer of All-Hallows, the lecturer of St. John's, and the lecturer of St. Andrew's, in their order.
"This Catechetical Lecture ceases during the seasons of Advent and Lent, because during these times, there is a sermon in this church twice a week, on the Wednesday and Friday, which is preached by the whole clergy of the town, every one preaching in his turn and order.
"Morning and Evening Prayers are every day read at this church, at 10 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administred here every first Sunday in the month.
"The town was wont to make a present to this church of 13 gallons of wine every year at Easter."