The Andrews Pages QuickList> About Matlock and Matlock Bath's Churches> This page Rectors of St. Giles Church, Matlock Extracts from: "Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire, Vol. II", with additions*   A list of the Rectors with Additional Notes     About Matlock and Matlock Bath's Churches Funeral Garland at Matlock Church About Matlock About St Giles Pastors of Matlock Congregational Church Rectors of Matlock St Giles Also see Hatches, Matches & Dispatches Index Matlock MIs FAQ Find a Name St. Giles' Church, about 1904 St. Giles' Parish Church, Matlock Bridge, 1908 The following is a list of the rectors of Matlock, extracted for the most part from the Episcopal Registers at Lichfield:- [See Note 1] Walter de FODRINGEYE, instituted 4 Kal. September 1300 Ralph de ERGOM, inst., on the death of his predecessor, 17 Kal November, 1315 Robert de BRYDELINGTON, inst., on the resignation of his predecessor, 3 Ides February, 1316 Richarde BARGRAVE, inst. 11 Kal. February, 1328 Michael, son of John de HAYELTON, inst. 3 Kal. March, 1332 Henry de WICHINER, inst. 15 Jan., 1361 Hugh HYKELING, rector in 1366, and had leave of absence from his church for two years' study William de LOUNDEY, inst. 1372. Exchanged Precentorship of Crediton, Devon, with his predecessor, for this living Lawrence de SUNDRISH, inst. 2 Kal. May, 1373. He was only an accolyte at the time of his institution, and was admitted to the rectory "in persona Henry de Foston." John de ASSHEBURNE Richard de STEPULL, inst 9 Kal. June, 1387 John TEKYLL Robert CONYNGHAM, inst. 15 January, 1423, on the death of his predecessor. This presentation was made by the brothers Simon and Henry, monks of Darley and Dale Abbeys, patrons for this turn by concession of the Dean of Lincoln William EGGE, inst. 1 May, 1435. Exchanged with his predecessor the living of Brailsford for Matlock William LOWTHE Henry ANSE, inst. 29 December, 1459 Oliver DYNHAM, M.A. inst. 26 October, 1467 Thomas REYNALD, inst. 1482 James BASFORD, alias BERESFORD, B.L. inst. 31 August, 1497; resigned 12 August 1504, and accepted the Vicarage of Wirksworth Thomas LYLLYLOWE, held the rectory 27 Henry VIII. [See Note 2] Robert HORNE, inst. 23 March, 1545, on the death of his predecessor Edmund WYLD, inst. 10 May, 1554 See Pre 1858 wills Christopher GRANGE, inst. 10 December, 1560 Peter HART (Strype's Memorials, iii, 108) John SEARSTON, Parson (1602/3). [See Note 3] Henry SMITH, obit. 1640 William THORPE succeeded Smith; was rector for about two years Thomas SHELMERDINE, A.M. In 1656 he was "minister and registrar" of Matlock. He was ejected for nonconformity in 1662. [See Note 4] John CHAPPELL, prebend of York, inst. 7 November, 1662. Obiit circa. 1688 Joseph FERN, A.M., came here from the Peak, November, 1688; obiit 1716 Thomas HINCKEYMAN, vicar of Chesterfield, inst. 19 July 1717, and held it with Chesterfield, where he died 1739 See Strays Charles CARTWRIGHT. He exchanged for Charborough, Notts 1753 Benjamin BURROW, A.M. inst. 1753; held it with Morton, and died 1779 G. HOLCOMBE, D.D., inst. 1780; made chaplain to Prince of Wales 13 March, 1789; died in 1836. Dr. HOLCOMBE also held the living of East and West Leake, Notts., where he resided William Job Charlton STANTON, inst. 1836 W.R. MELVILLE, inst. 1839.[See Notes 5 and 6] The Registers only commence in the year 1637. Later Rectors,taken from other sources 1887 James William KEWLEY[See Note 6] 1923 Alban URLING-SMITH* 1949 Charles Henry FERRIS* 1957 James ARMITAGE* 1962 Thomas Richards PARFITT* 1981 John Francis STATHAM* *From: Matlock St Giles MIs in the church published with kind permission of the DARG Matlock St Giles MIs in the church Additional Notes 1 'A list of Matlock rectors is given in the Wolley Collections (Add. MSS., 6667, ff.260, 263) but we have added to it and amended it very considerably, by comparison with the Lichfield registers' [Cox, Footnote at the bottom of p.525]. Spelling variants may occur in other sources; this is to be expected as there was no real consistency until the nineteeeth century. 2 Henry VIII came to the throne in 1509. 3 This entry taken from: "Three Centuries of Derbyshire Annals, an Illustrated by the Records of the Quarter Sessions of the County of Derby from Queen Elizabeth to Queen Victoria" by the Rev. Charles J. Cox, LL.D., F.S.A Vol I. London: Bemrose and Sons, 23 Old Bailey; and Derby (1890) Section IV. Ecclesiastical: Licenced Preachers. Clergy List for Derbyshire, 1602-3. p.250. Matlocke - John SEARSTON, Parson ..... Mr. of artes ..... a preacher by the Lo : archbushop of Yorke his Grace xjli. in the kinges bookes [£11] 4 'The registers of this church, which commence in 1637, contain the following _"Memorandum, that upon the 26th day of January 1654 Mr Thomas SHELMERDINE was chosen Registrar for the Parish of Matlock before me John Spateman one of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Derby. "(Signed) Jo. SPATEMAN." ' [Cox, Footnote at the bottom of p.526] 5 Cox writes: 'To the Rev. W. R. MELVILLE, the present rector, we desire to express our obligations for the assistance he has given us in this account of Matlock church.' [Cox, Footnote at the bottom of p.527] 6 Benjamin Bryan's "History of Matlock" (1903) records the fact that William Rylance MELVILLE died and was succeeded by James William KEWLEY in 1887 More info on Bryan's book *Extracts, with some additions, from: Cox, J. Charles (1877), Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire, Vol. II pub. Chesterfield: Palmer and Edmunds, London: Bemrose and Sons, 10 Paternoster Buildings; and Derby. pp.525-527. Note: Spelling and punctuation as it appears in the volume; case of surname changed to caps There is more information about some of the Rectors elsewhere on this website: Biographies Canon Kewley & His Sisters Garden Party at Matlock Rectory © 1996 - Ann Andrews (click link to contact). All Rights Reserved. Last Update: 21 May, 2008 About and Conditions of Use | Site Map, Matlock | Part of The Andrews Pages - www.andrewspages.dial.pipex.com