Churchwardens' accounts
Alongside the manor, the parish was one of
the dominant units of local government during the pre-industrial
period. One of the most substantial of the parochial offices,
that of the churchwarden, stretches back into the medieval period.
Churchwardens had a range of functions within the local community
and were usually elected on an annual basis, often in pairs and
without remuneration. Pre-Reformation churchwardens' accounts
are extant for a few parishes, but the earliest surviving records
usually date from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Availability
From 1593 the Halifax parochial churchwardens'
accounts are incorporated in the parish register, but from 1620
the accounts are kept in a separate volume. Printed extracts
are available for the period 1620-1832. Elland accounts have
survived and are in print from 1648 to 1750.
Value
The chief areas of responsibility of the churchwardens
included the care of the church fabric, bell ringing (to celebrate
occasions of local and national rejoicing), the relief of destitution,
the administration of burials, the destruction of vermin and
the maintenance of law and order within the church precincts.
The accounts can provide valuable insights into the religious
and political developments within a local community and within
the country as a whole over much of the early modern period.
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