Faculty Books

The Diocesan Faculty Books are held by the Borthwick, and were registers of applications for the changing of a the fabric of a church, such as for the installation of new pews, extensions, repairs to the roof, etc. ( including the granting or denial of permission); and for sequestrations (the act of taking a parish church into the custody of the churchwardens upon the death of the incumbent and managing it until the new incumbent took over), and the relaxation (cancellation) of sequestration orders. However, the early registers not only include faculties, sequestrations and relaxation orders, but also licences for parish clerks, schoolmasters, surgeons and midwives, commissions for granting marriage licences, caveats and dissenters' meeting-house certificates (these entries can be found under Nonconformity in the History section of the website).

Fac.Bk 1 (1737-1768)

Fol 27 (9 Dec 1738). License to Mary, wife of Richard Moor of Bubwith to practice midwifery.

Fol 68 (22 May 1742). A license to John Haywarde of Bubwith as parish clerk, upon the nomination of John Burton, vicar.

Fol 98 (14 Mar 1744). Sequestration upon the death of John Burton, to Arthur House and Timothy Smith, churchwardens.


Fac.Bk 2 (1768-1793)

Fol 276 (29 Nov 1781). A license was granted to Thomas Ask of Bubwith to perform the office of parish clerk of Bubwith, upon the nomination of the Rev. John Cayley, clerk, vicar there.

Fol 292 (29 Nov 1782). Sequestration of the vicarage of the one mediety of the parish church of Bubwith, void by the death of the Rev. John Cayley, clerk, to George Elmer and Robert Hepton, the present churchwardens.

Fol 445 (11 Mar 1790). Barnard Clarkson and Matthew Tate, the present churchwardens of the parish of Bubwith, to request to replace the pews pursuant to a majority of the parishioners met in vestry for that purpose.


Fac.Bk 3 (1793-1816)

Fol 38 (9 May 1794). Barnard Clarkson and Matthew Tate, the present churchwardens of the parish of Bubwith, commission to allot pews, recently erected in the parish church.

Fol 191 (1 May 1798). Confirmation of allotment of pews.

Fol 674 (23 Feb 1814). Sequestration void by the death of Rev. George Ion, to Peter Brownbridge and Charles Knapton, churchwardens.


Fac.Bk 4 (1816-1858)
Nil