CH/20/17

CH/20/17

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Letter from William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, Concerning Houses Built in the Cathedral Close, 1639

25 Jun 1639

1 letter

The following is a summary of the letter as written by Chancellor Wordsworth in 1913: 'The Archbishop hears that houses have been built by the Dean and Chapter, by their Vicars Choral, and by others within the Close or on consecrated soil of the Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin, and have been let by them to lay persons. In his desire that the dignity and situation of the said Church may not suffer through the continuation or enlargement of such erections, he command them in virtue of a decree of the Realm to demolish the buildings as soon as their leases expire. He has received the petition of the Dean and Chapter, and with the King's good pleasure, considering that there are now no more than 7 Residentiary canons whose number will presently be advanced to 6, who had sufficient and convenient residences not let, the other houses, built upwards of as years previously, and occupied by other prebendaries or Vicars, and whereof some in various years have been wont to be occupied, when his Majesty was making his progress through these parts, has been occupied by the King and Queen and contain most noble lords and ladies and their attendants, he assures the Dean and Chapter that permission is granted to them to keep up and repairs any such houses within the Close provided these be not within the cemetery or on consecrated ground. Residentiary houses which are or have been occupied by resident canons or vicars are not to let to, but to be reserved for their proper use. None of the houses belonging to canons or vicars choral are to be leased for purposes of trade or manual or mechanical occupations unless it be only for those employed upon the fabric or as servants of the Cathedral church. Other artificers or mechanics who may at present be occupying any houses in the Close are to be removed at the earliest opportunity, and such houses as are built on consecrated ground are to be demolished when their terms of leave or occupation expire, and future [?] to be rendered impossible'. Signed W Cantuar. This letter is written on eight large folios: folio1 is missing. Chancellor Wordsworth's letter, dated 12 Nov 1913, to Mr Haskins containing the summary above is kept with Archbishop Laud's letter.

English

Material: paper

Laud, William
Wordsworth, Christopher