Penistone Rectors and Vicars

Page Index
Each section links back here via the symbol. This might be the longest webpage on the site.

• Rectors and Vicars - Introduction.
• JND's List - Rectors and Vicars from John Ness Dransfield's 'A History of the Parish of Penistone' 1906.
• Patronage - The power of Presentation.
• 1226 and Who Knows What - A list of indecipherable abbreviations.
• 1229 and All That - Competing churches at the beginning but Penistone wins in the end.
• Full List of Rectors and Vicars - These sections are within the table structure.
  • Rectors Become Vicars - A change from landowners to ecclesiastics.
  • Rev Wm Wordsworth - Funded the building of Boulder Bridge, Oxspring.
  • Turbulent Times Ahead - Starting with Martin Luther's list, 1517.
  • The Book of Martyrs - Mr Foxe's book was received by Penistone church in 1666, to be kept in perpetuity. It was still there (re-bound) in 1798.
  • The Problem of Presentation - The dispute in 1717 over who had the right to present the next Vicar.
  • Rev Joseph Horsfall - Possibly related to another Rev J Horsfall.
  • Rev Martin Joseph Naylor AM DD - The absentee Penistone Vicar.
  • St Saviour's Church - A gift to Thurlstone from the Bray sisters.
  • Charles Dudley - Of Carlecotes Parsonage. Grave inscription only.
  • Penistone Team Ministry - A new beginning and the return of the 'Rector.'
• The Vestry Photographs - Some names deciphered.
• Denby Chapel - More about the 1627 Chapel of Easement.
  • Rebuilt 1845
  • Path Dispute
  • Denby Ministers
• Rev Henry Swyft - An Unusual and Popular Dissenter who held office 40 years, from 1649.
• History of the Parish Church - Booklet in 1904.
• Rev Samuel Sunderland - Died 1855 in an accident. Very accident-prone.
• Rev William Stephenson Turnbull - Vicar 1855 to 1913.
• Bullhouse Chapel - From the age of dissenters.
• Talking with Rev D Hopkin
• Links

Please also visit the Church History page.
Also see Story 19 titled 'Rev Samuel Sunderland (1806 - 1855) - Curate, PGS Headmaster and Vicar' written by Steve Lavender, from the 'Stories from the Stones' series.

Rectors and Vicars
Mr John Ness Dransfield (henceforth 'JND') published his great book, 'A History of the Parish of Penistone' in 1906. It can be found in Penistone Library (not for loan) and downloaded in various formats from Archive.org. From this and other sources in Penistone Library, we can form a short list of most of the early vicars/rectors, with much more detail added table below. Don't be put off by the often wild variations in spelling, which was always very variable in olden times.

We must remember that the spiritual leaders in our fine old church had been important people in their day and quite central to our community over the centuries, if you consider the times when spiritual guidance had been sought and the many births, marriages and deaths in and around the Parish of Penistone. Although it might have diminished over the centuries, the church continues to be a significant point of community focus; in good times, bad times, in times of remembrance and for national and local milestones. It is still a solid rock in the Penistone district community and a central point of reference. Long may it be.

But First,
This is not a tidy page as it has been pieced together over a long time from many sources, incuding gravestone and other memorial inscriptions. Much of the information here suffers from multiple entries, some of which probably refer to the same person with spellings. JB does not have much understanding of the abbreviations but hopefully someone will find Penistone church's long history interesting and the ministers and church officials will not be entirely forgotten given how important they were in their own times. The church and parish were their life's work. Incidentally, there is a box in Penistone Library marked 'Tombstones' (just like in the Wild West) with information on local gravestones, there not being tombs in Penistone, only graves. Yee-hah!

JND's List
Even before we look at these dates from Mr Dransfield's great book, there is evidence that Christian worship took place in Penistone. If you visit the church and look behind the stone pillar closest to the pulpit, you will discover an ancient stone set into it, which is a Saxon cross placed there on its side. This was used as a filler to build up the pillar many centuries ago but its original use, probably on the same hilltop, was as a central gathering place for Christian worship. The actual church was built some time in the 11th-12th century and it was much smaller than now. It was expanded sideways over the years and the tower added around 1500, probably replacing a spire of some sort. Now on to JND's early list:

Penistone Rectors
Up until the first vicar of Penistone Church was appointed in 1413, rectors had been local landowners.

• Henry de Barton, presented by Sir John de Burgh, 13 kal. October 1281.
• Richard de Walton, presented by Lady Margaret Nevil, 13 kal. August 1313. Later resigned.
• William de Nevil, presented by Lady Margaret Nevil, 10th September 1313.
• Richard de Rotherham, presented by Sir Thomas de Burgh, 9 kal. May 1331.
• William de Stainton, presented by Sir William Scot, 23rd October 1349.

Penistone Vicars
This list up to 1809 has also been incorporated into table below.

• Thomas Bryan, instituted 23rd Jan 1413. Resigned.
• Robert Poleyn or Pullen, instituted 14th May 1418. Died vicar. Tomb in the church.
• William Wordsworth, instituted 27th Feb 1458. Possibly a friend of Pulleyn.
• Robert Bishop, instituted 18th April 1495. Resigned.
• Robert Amyas, instituted 24th May 1498.
• Robert Watts, date not certain. Died July 1542.
• John Herbert, instituted 21st Oct 1545.
• Robert Stires, instituted 4th March 1550. ‘Vacated by death’.
• William Crossland, presented by Ralph Bosvile, instituted 12th August 1560.
• Thomas Bosvile, presented by Godfrey Bosvile, instituted 9th Sept 1570.
• John Sotwell, presented by Godfrey Bosvile, instituted 2nd April 1574.
• George Goodwin, presented by Anthony Goodwin, clerk, instituted 5th August 1597.
• Francis Oley, presented by Godfrey Copley of Plumtree, instituted 23rd July 1602. Resigned.
• Jonas Rook, presented by John Savile Esq., instituted 16th April 1619. Died.
• Matthew Booth, presented by George Burdett Esq. of Denby, instituted 3rd Sept. 1633. Resigned.
• Peter Toothill, presented by Edmund Ogden of Bullhouse, instituted 15th August 1635. There is an error here. In another part of the same source, it gives George Burdett Esq. as the one presenting. Peter Toothill died as vicar.
• Timothy Broadley AM, presented by Sir William Savile of Thornhill, instituted 27th June 1642.
• Henry Swyft came in around 1649 'without being presented from any real or supposed patron but by the choice of the inhabitants of the parish'. See remarks under the table below.
• Edmund Hough, presented in 1690. See the remarks below.
• Edward Jackson, presented by William Godfrey, instituted 14th March 1718. Ceded the living.
• Thomas Cockashutt, presented by William Godfrey, instituted 13th June 1722. Also vacated by cession.
• Sam Phipps, presented by William Godfrey, instituted 1st June 1761.
• Martin Naylor, instituted 1809.
  

Patronage
An 'Advowson' (or 'patronage') is the right in English law of a patron ('Avowee') to 'present' (verb) to the diocesan bishop (or in some cases the 'ordinary' if not the same person) a nominee for appointment to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as Presentation. You might see the phrase 'In the Living of ...' to refer to a vicar's position at a particular church.

Only certain people (historically the land-owners) have the legal right to appoint a vicar. In English law, 'Quare Impedit' was a writ commencing a common law action for deciding a disputed right of presentation to a benefice (an advowson). It was typically brought by a patron against a bishop who refuses to appoint the patron's nominee as a priest. (Wiki is sufficient for this explanation).

The CofE Glossary explains that every parish has its patron, who may be an individual, a corporate body, the bishop, the archbishop or the Crown and this comes down through history. Patronage is essentially the exercise by the patron of his right to 'present' the new incumbent of a parish for appointment by the diocesan bishop. Although it can no longer be sold, as it once could, the right of patronage is treated from a legal standpoint much like property; it can, for example, be bequeathed.

1226 and Who Knows What
This data comes from 'Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300: Volume 6, York', as scanned for 'British History Online'. This will probably be very informative to somebody, but not me, to whom it looks like a knitting pattern:

M. Godfrey of Ludham (fn. 47)
preb. unident., list 50

Abp.'s clerk by 17 June 1226 (Reg. Gray p. 9); rector of moiety of 'Pengston' (? Penistone, W.R.), pres. 26 Aug. 1228 (? 1229) (ibid. p. 26; cf. pp. 56, 57, of 2 Sept. 1232 and 15 Feb. 1233). First occ. as prec. 21 Sept. 1249 (Reg. Gray p. 261 n.) and perhaps earlier, 1244 × 49 (Cart. Guisborough II no. 704; cf. Reg. Gray p. 252 n., of 1245 × 49). Occ. as prec. and official Nov. 1252 or 1253 (Chart. Fountains I 423). Last occ. as prec. 20 Aug. 1253 (Cart. Treas. York no. 11). Dean by 21 June 1257 (list 2).'

1229 and All That
... and a fun story in local folklore. Penistone had two rectors in the early days until the Archbishop of York, Walter Grey, consolidated them into one. JND suggests a possible rivalry between them and lends weight to an old local story about two competing sites for building the church. The story:

Work which had been done on one site during the day was undone and 'spirited away' during the night to another site which eventually became Penistone Church, the alternative site being eventually abandoned. It has been supposed that the competitng site was on Snodden Hill. Also, a small and ancient chapel near Chapel Lane that was in ruins during the time of Rev Hough's ministry (1690 - 1771) might well have pre-dated the church. Its stone was known to have been plundered to repair the church walls and the porch. JND asserts that the stone slabs forming benches in the porch are 13th century gravestones from the old chapel. One wonders if the new housing development near Chapel Lane might have produced some ancient bones and artifacts.

Full List of Rectors and Vicars
The table below has references in the 'Src' column which relates to this list. No.2 might have errors, as it lists ministers for the Denby Chapel of Ease before it was built (now St John the Evangelist Church, Upper Denby). It also omits Henry Swyft (or Swift), who was a dissenting minister and a complete pain to the establishment of the day. Swift went to York jail several times (see page bottom). It is interesting that the distinction between Church of England and Dissenters was also applied at Penistone Stottercliffe cemetery, as the two chapels which used to occupy a central position (now demolished) were designated for one or the other, with the upper one for C of E.

Comparing a list of Silkstone church's vicars with those of Penistone, only one name appears in both lists at around the same time, that of Samuel Phipps. He: was Penistone Curate in 1748, settled in Denby in 1751, was Penistone Minister in 1751, Silkstone Vicar in 1757, then Penistone vicar in 1761.

It seems that the relationship between Penistone St John's Church and Penistone Grammar School must have changed after Rev Samuel Sunderland (schoolmaster 1836 to 1855) had roles in both institutions. The only clergy to be headmaster after Rev Sunderland was Rev John Wesley Aldom, headmaster from 1855 to 1867, who is not listed below and might have been a Methodist Minister. After that date there are no more Reverends listed at PGS. See also the PGS List of shoolmasters.

Reference numbers in the tables:

• 1 - Notes from 'History of the Parish Church', passed on from Penistone Church.
• 2 - The Clergy of England database, York Diocese, Penistone (29 entries). Links in the Penistone Column after the Rectors section go to this source.
• 2a - The Clergy of England database, York Diocese, Penistone Free Grammar School (two entries only).
• 3 - 'History of Penistone' 1906, by John Ness Dransfield. Referred to as 'JND' on this page and elsewhere.
• 4 - From names on vestry photographs.
• 5 - Notes from Rev David Hopkin.
• 6 - List provided by amateur researcher.
• 7 - 'Passing The Light' by Mr Michael Fitton, Penistone Library. It has a notable chapter on Henry Swyft.
• 8 - 'The History and Topography of the Deanery of Doncaster in the Diocese of York', 1831, by the Rev. Joseph Hunter, Vol. II., Penistone Library.
• 9 - From a conversation with Fr David Hopkin in June 2015.
• 10 - 'Holy Trinity Church Holmfirth - A Brief History' by Pamela Cooksey. Thin book from Holmfirth church, no ISBN.
• 11 - From Penistone St John's Church on Facebook.
• 12 - St John the Baptist's Penistone, A Brief History and Guide. Out of print booklet by former Rector David Turnbull.
• 13 - From the 'Stories from the Stones' (on this website) by Steve Lavender, Chair 'Friends of St John’s Church' Penistone.
• 14 - From Penistone churchyard memorials.
• 15 - Typed notes from Yorkshire Archaelogical Society Library, 'Fasti Parochiales', Vol 2, Part 2, Deanery of Doncaster. The list ends at 1560. Having acquired the type-written notes, a search on Archive.org revealed the actual volume to download, which had extra details. My thanks to Stu Gibbins.
• 16 - Nonconformist Register of Births Mariages and Deaths (various copies), Oliver Heywood (1629 - 1702).
• 17 - York Archbishops Registers Database - Links in the Rectors section go to this site.
• 18 - Served as schoolmaster at Penistone Grammar School. See also the PGS Schoolmasters.

Special thanks to Rev David Hopkin (universally known as Father David) Rector of Penistone CofE parish, for explaining many ecclesiastic and historical matters.
Hopefully, the CCEd Glossary and the CofE Glossary will help with abbreviations in the 'Type' column.

Penistone Rectors Become Vicars
Penistone had Vicars from 1413. In comparison, Silkstone Church's vicars had started in 1284. The Rectors would return in the modern age.

Rev William Wordsworth
As he lay dying on 12th January 1495, Father William Wordsworth asked for a 'Bulder Bridge' to be built, for which he gave 'twelve silver pieces'. He had been the Penistone vicar for forty years. Boulder Bridge was built over the River Don at Spring Vale to fulfil his request. It is likely that the bridge (now listed) had been rebuilt in the eighteenth century. (See the 'Penistone Guide' booklet, which is published locally from time to time).

Turbulent Times on the Horizon
'Good Queen Bess', Elizabeth I, was a daughter to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and she was the last of the Tudors. She reigned from 17th November 1558 to 24th March 1603. Elizabeth established the English Protestant church, which evolved into the Church of England. The 'Recusancy Acts' of 1558 made attendance compulsory at the Anglican church and the punishment for non-attendance might be a fine, confiscation of property or even imprisonment. Recusancy was suspended during the Interregnum (1649 to 1660) but remained on the statute books until 1888. See also The Reformation.

Denby Chapel
To overcome difficulties in Denby residents travelling to Penistone church over streams and muddy lanes, leading to deaths on occasion, Denby 'Chapel of Ease' was built around 1628. It fell into disrepair 200+ years later and was be re-built in 1845 whilst retaining the original tower. See the Denby Chapel section at the bottom of this page.

1666 - Foxe's Book of Martyrs
From JN Dransfield's 'History of the Parish of Penistone' (p.15) we discover that John Foxe's book 'The Acts and Monuments' (the Book of Martyrs) was donated to Penistone church to be kept in perpetuity. Of all books, this one had a significant impact on Christendom in our country, as it helped consolidate the Protestant cause. It also led to further presecution of the papists.

The text of the book may be found on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) (also see John Foxe). The book was given to the church by John Shaw, ejected vicar of Rotherham, who also presented volumes to Bradfield and Stannington churches: It would appear that the church already had one copy of the book.

"This second volume of the Book of Martyrs was given by John Shaw, of Rotherham, clerke. May 19, 1666, unto the parish church of Peniston, there to be constantly kept, to be read by any of the inhabitants of that parish, or others that desire there to read therein. And may the good Lord give a gracious blessing to all the readers and hearers of it there read. So heartily prays the donour hereof, John Shaw."

The 1904 'History of Parish Church' booklet gives the date as 16th May 1666, not 19th May, and remarks that: 'It would appear to have been well read, or badly kept, as the following entry in the Churchwarden's Accounts for the year 1697 testifies: It paid to Mr Simmons for new binding the Church Bible, the two volumes of the Book of Martyrs and Defence of the Apol, £1 10s 0d. The last named refers to Jewell's Apology for the Church of England, I vol., and all three volumes were in the church in 1798, as they are enumerated in the Terrier of that year.

(The booklet continues:) 'Speaking of books, the following is an item of expenditure by the Churchwardens, in 1702. It’ paid for 2 books for ye publick good of the Parish, viz. a Dictionary and a Book containing an account of the school land £0 12s. od.; also Memorand: Whereas the Honble. Thomas Wentworth, of Wentworth Woodhouse, Esq., hath given to me and to my successors one Book, entitled “The Theological Works of the most Pious and Learned Henry Moor, D.D., sometime fellow of Christ’s College in Cambridge,” containing:

• An Explanation of the Grand Mistery of Godliness;
• An Enquiry into the Mistery of lniquity in two parts;
• A Prophetical Exposition of ye Epistles to the 7 Churches in Asia;
• A Discourse of the Grounds of Faith in Points of Religion;
• An Antidote against Idolatry, to which is adjoyn’d some Divine Hymns.

'Printed and Sold by Joseph Downing in Bartolomew close “near West Smithfield, London, I708. I do thankfully accept of the same, and do promise to preserve it free from wrong for my use and the use of my successors. Witness my hand this Sixth Day of April, Anno Domini I712. Edmd. Hough, ‘Vic.de Peniston. Test: John Roebuck, Joseph Parkinson, John Haigh, Churchwardens.' Going forward, Henry Swift's boots would have taken a lot of filling, given his influence and popularity. See the Church History page for more about the book.

The Problem of Presentation
An Inquest was held at Wakefield to resolve the advowson issue (1717). Three men contested the right.

Rev Joseph Horsfall
In the table above, Rev Joseph Horsfall is shown as Curate for Penistone Church (1769) but his Penistone gravestone shows that he died 6th July 1820 and was '41 years a Perpetual Curate for Denby Chapelry' looking like a curate for both Penistone and Denby. There were other Joseph Horsfalls in the district who might have been related. On a raised gravestone south of Penistone churchyard: 'Here was Interred the Body of John Horsfield of Carlcoats Gent: he departed this Life the 3rd of January Ao. Dom. 1734 Aged 88 years. Also here was Interred the Body of Joseph Horsfall, Yeoman, who died the 29th day of September, the 88th year of his age 1768. Also here was Interred the Body of Joseph Horsfall of Peniston, Yeoman, son of the above said Joseph, who departed this Life March 12th 1791 Aged 66 years.'

The Absentee Rev MJ Naylor
In 1809 below, we might think of Rev Martin Joseph Naylor AM DD of Wakefield as being negligent in his duties. Perhaps he was but JND explains his reasoning here:

It is said that he generally visited the Parish only once a year, viz., on St. John the Baptist's day. No doubt he did this to secure and preserve to the Church its share of the money given by Samuel Wordsworth for the benefit of the Church and School and Poor of Penistone. The Trust Deed is dated February 26th, 1708, and with respect to the rents or monies to be paid to the Rev. Edmund Hough, then the vicar, and to his successors, vicars there for ever, there is this condition:

"Provided the said vicar for the time being preach every Lord's day forenoon and after as has been and is now used and practised in the said parish church, and alsoe preach or cause to be preached a sermon every twenty-fourth day of June, betwixt the houres of ten and twelve in the forenoon, on some suitable subject for the edification of the parishioners of the said parish, particularly of young persons, and that the said vicar give publick notice the Lord's day preceding such sermon.
'But if it happen that the vicar of the said Parish Church for the time being neglect to preach as aforesaid, except in case of sickness or some other extraordinary occasion, then it shall and may be lawful to and for the said trustees or the major parte of them, their heyres or assignes, to deduct and keep back from such vicar soe neglecting one moyety of such halfe-yearly payments till such vicar preach as aforesaid and soe continue to preach except as aforesaid and bestow such moyety of such halfe-yearly payments so kept back on the schoolmasters of the said schoole in such proportions as they shall think fit."

The Deed states that John Ramsden was then headmaster of the schoole of Penistone aforesaid and John Roebuck usher thereof. Mr. Naylor had the Rev Jameson as his curate at Penistone for some years. Mr. Jameson is credited with 'having a liking for the convivial cup,' and some not very creditable tales are told of him. Once he preached at Bolsterstone against drunkenness, and on being told of this by a parishioner who knew his failings, he said the people "Must do as he said and not as he did." Mr Jameson was succeeded as curate by the Rev. John Haworth.

In a list of the Fellows of Queen's College, Cambridge, we can discover a little bit of background to Rev Naylor:

1789 - 1800, Martin Joseph Naylor, M.A., B.D., D.D. Proctor. Vicar of Penistone, Yorks., Rector of Crofton, Yorks. Headmaster of Wakefield Grammar School. Suspected of Jacobin sympathies, "of course and rough manners"; Editor of the Wakefield Journal. died 1843.

St Saviour's Church
Opened in 1906, this was a new C of E Church at Thurlstone, largely funded by the generous bequests of two local sisters who lived together, Mary and Hannah Bray (who died in 1895 and 1897) at a cost of £6,000. A further contribution was received from Mr. Hugh S. Tomasson, of Plumpton, Thurlstone, having in the meantime kindly given a site for the Church near his residence. The foundation stone was laid by Sir W. Spencer-Stanhope, KCB on 5th November 1904, as one of the largest landowners in the township of Thurlstone. It was built to the design of Hodgson Fowler of Durham. UK Grid Reference: SE 229 034. See Heritage Inspired. Part of its west end was built in red brick. Before it was built, services were held at Town End school by the Vicar of Penistone. In 1905, A new bell weighing about 5 cwt was cast by bell founders John Taylor & Co, Loughborough for the new church. The inscription on the bell reads 'Presented by James Durrans Watch Hill House, Thurlstone 1905.' The Penistone Guide of 1991 gives the year the church opened as 1905. A new organ was opened 22nd December 1906.

Charles Dudley, Carlecotes Parsonage
This relates to St Anne's Church, Carlecotes. There is no obvious mention of Dudley's name in the list of preachers here, perhaps because he administered to a private chapel, but his gravestone in the Penistone churchyard has this inscription:

Sacred to the Memory of the Reverend William Charles Dudley M.A. Queens Colt: Camb: of Carlecotes Parsonage.
Born May 29th 1812 Interred into Rest October 1st 1879.

The parsonage supported St Anne's Church in Carlecotes which had been built in 1857 as the private chapel of Carlecotes Hall. The Riches moved to of Bullhouse Hall from Carlecotes Hall. Several gravestones at Penistone churchyard spell Carlecotes as 'Carlcoats' and that is the spelling shown on the Thomas Jeffries' 1770 Map. St Anne's church is a Grade II Listed building. See Carlecotes Hall website with its interesting history page. Also, Penistone Archive has a section for St Anne's church.

Start of the Penistone Team Ministry
In 1986, The Penistone Team Ministry was formed of six churches in the parishes of Penistone and Thurlstone. The title of 'Rector' came back into use.

Vestry Photographs
These give information on the vicars and churchwardens of the most recent years but some of the later dates are missing. A large photo from 1978 shows the Church Choir with: Vicar Fr David Baxter, Readers Alan M Jones, Alec Dixon and John W Taylor, Curate Fr Bruce Carlin and the Organist Martin Beaumont. A photograph labelled 'Mission 1995, has: Rector Fr George Midgeley, Vicar Fr Harold Jones, Canon Retired Fr Desmond Proberts, Missionary Priest Fr Steven Cotterill, with Readers Anne Parr and Jean Daykin. The writing on some other photos was difficult to read.

Denby's Chapel of Easement
Denby had been a Danish settlement dating back to the 9th century, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Village names ending in 'by' were established in the times of the Danelaw. It was located within the Penistone parish whose church was built around 1200. There being no other nearby place of worship, by compulsion or habit the few villagers would walk or travel in carts to Penistone as best they could. They would also have to cross some often swollen streams.

The journey was often perilous in winter, when travel was on cart tracks or muddy paths over exposed high ground. This is a time long before good roads were laid down. In 1626, thirteen parishioners drowned while trying to cross the waters of Scout Dike, which led the Denby parish applying for a licence from Tobias Matthew (1546-1628), Archbishop of York, to build their own chapel, as a 'Chapel of Ease.'

The Archbishop assented and granted a licence but could not comply with the request for a consecration. The Instrument (dated 12th December 1627, York) explained the application thus, '... that the inhabitants of Over Denby and Gunthwaite had set forth that they were two or three miles distant from their Parish Church of Peniston, and that in the winter time it was often with the greatest difficulty, and even with danger of death, that they were able to resort to it, in consequence of the overflowing of the waters.'

The licence was granted in December 1627 and allowed Religious Ordinances 'Without prejudice to the vicars of the Parish of Penistone', but not Holy Communion.

From JND (Ref 1, p 33, above):
'Wide as was the Parish of Penistone, no place of public worship had arisen within it, except the Parish Church, before 1627. In that year the inhabitants of Denby and Gunthwaite united in the erection of a chapel, which was placed near to the principal seat of population, and application was made to Archbishop Toby Matthew to consecrate it, and grant his licence that divine service be performed in it.'

The chapel was dedicated to 'the Greater Glory of God in honour of St John the Evangelist' thereby making Denby a 'Chapelry' - a district assigned to a chapel-of-ease. It was licenced for Religious Ordinances but not weddings, baptisms or burials. Parishioners would still have to visit Penistone Church but now they could attend services in their own chapel.

Denby had strong links with the Grammar School, whose staff conducted limited services there from time to time. It is interesting that: 'The principal encourager of the work was the second Godfrey Bosville ... ' (of Gunthwaite), as an earlier Godfrey Bosville had been responsible for blocking a path which was used by parishioners to travel between Denby and Penistone (p. 32, Ref 1, and see below).

The Rebuilt Denby Church, 1845 and Increased Powers
The building fell into disrepair over time and all but the tower would be rebuilt. In 1839, Bishop Longley described the chapel as being in a 'miserable, filthy and ruinous state' and he required its demolition. The later, current church, dedicated to St John the Evangelist church, was built 1842 to 1845 by local builder John Ellis of High Flatts at a cost of £1,170 and built on the site of the earlier 'Chapel of Easement' keeping the original tower. In 1900 a chancel was added by the incumbent Romeo Taglis.

As referred to above, the old chapel could hold services but was not able to perform weddings, baptisms or burials, tasks which had to be done in Penistone. In December 1853, an application made to Queen Victoria led to an expansion of its powers, having first gaining the consent of the Right Reverend Charles Thomas, Bishop of the diocese of Ripon. From the London Gazette of 10th January 1854, we can discover the following:

In accordance with the 'Act to amend and render more effectual an Act passed in the last session of Parliament for building and promoting the building of additional churches in populous parishes' (under Geo III), an application was received by Queen Victoria from the church commissioners. From the very long-winded application, it goes on to say: 'Your Majesty's said Commissioners beg leave further to represent that it also appears to them to be expedient that banns of marriage should, be published, and that marriages, baptisms, churchings, and burials should be solemnised or performed in the said church of Saint John, at Denby aforesaid, and that the fees to arise therefrom should be paid or belong to the minister or incumbent of such church for the time being.'

The 1854 Gazette article about the Application is very long-winded and uses the most circuitous English but the above block contains the nub of the matter. See also Heritage Inspired.

The Path Dispute
The first G Bosville had been involved in diverse suits with his neighbours, at a time when the country was part-enclosed and boundaries and footpaths were often disputed. A bill was exhibited in the Court of the Lord President of the North, by William Turton, John Claiton and Edward Woodcock of Denby, complaining that they had enjoyed a foot way from Denby to Penistone (to attend Penistone Church) but that, 'On the 23rd of October last 'one Godfrey Bosville, of Gunthwait, gentilman, of his extorte might and power,' stopped the said path, and also one leading to Thurlstone. As allegedly poor men, the petitioners prayed redress from 'A man of great maistershipp and friendshipe.'

The second Godfrey Bosville perhaps sought to mend any distress caused by his family. In 1627, he placed in Denby Mr Charles Broxholme, a very zealous puritan minister. Hunter's included text from 'De Spiritualibus' by a Mr Bagshaw (Ref 8, page 352). Part of it reads: 'He was a gentleman born, and so as one reckons of the lesser (and lower) nobility. His brother was a parliament man, in and for some place in Lincolnshire. Providence brought him into the ministry; and, in the exercise of it, unto Balpar in derbyshire, Gunthwaite in Yorkshire, and Denton in Lancashire, and so to Buxton, noted for its bath, but never so honoured as when he and some of his excellent successors were as preachers and pastors here' (... and so on). They liked him.

Broxholme's brother John had been MP for the City of Lincoln in the 'Long Parliament'. The reference to him being 'a Parliament man' was relevant, following the turmoil of the Civil War.

Ministers in Denby
Broxholme's successor was Daniel Clarke, who married a daughter of George Burdet, Esq. and became minister at Kirkheaton. A Mr Miller and others officiated in Denby from time to time until 1657, when John Crooke of Sheffield settled in Denby. He was a puritan and non-conformist in 1662. He retired to Wakefield then died there in 1687. For some time after he left Denby, there had been no settled minister.

A second attempt was made to connect the chapel with Cawthorne, where Christopher Walbanke was minister. As minister of Cawthorne, Christopher Walbanke secured a certificate recommending him to the people of Denby in 1664 as an orthodox, godly minister, attentive to the canons and constitution of the church. It was signed by Sir Gervase Cutler, Thomas Barnsby Esq., Loy Kett, vicar of Silkstone, Henry Bubwith, Rector of the Mediety of High Hoyland, Henry Lewis, clerk, and others. Timothy Kent became minister of Denby in 1665 and continued until his death in 1691. Kent's epitaph (Ref. 8.) in the old Chapel:

Christum olim venturum hic praestolatur TIMOTHEUS KENT, Artinum Magister, et hujus ecclesiae nuper Minister.
Pastor probus, fidelis (si quis alius) vigilantissimus: concionator assiduus, utilis, facundus, argumentorum tamen acumine et pondere quam verborum lenocinio et jactantia, potentior. Vir bonus et elogio melior: atque non potest marmor, propriae virtutes et amicorum desideria loquentur.
obiit Aug. 21, anno Dom. 1691

Other successors (Ref. 8.) were: Gamaliel Battie, William Norris, elected in 1698, Bryan Allot, Jonathan Parkin (spelt 'Perkins' in another source), Samuel Phipps, who settled in Denby in 1751 (also listed as a vicar of Penistone Church) and John Brownhill. The old Chapel building from 1627 gradually fell into disrepair and all but the tower was pulled down in 1844. A new, larger church was constructed in 1845.

The church continues as a place of worship but is also used as a community room for concerts, film shows and more under the name of Denby Hall or Denby Community Hall. St John's Denby (Facebook).

Henry Swyft - An Unusual and Popular Dissenter
Henry Swyft (variously spelt 'Swift' and on his grave), 1621 - 1689, is one of my favourite characters of history but fate conspires to erase his memory from history (assuming the absence of divine intervention), so this website attempts to put right this wrong.

Of the Parliamentary Army, Captain Adam Eyre and his brother Joseph were adherents of the Puritan religion. The vicar of Penistone from 1633, Rev Matthew Booth, had become very unpopular with the congregation. Beginning in 1648, Adam Eyre would be one of those involved in removing him. Eventually, the popular if troublesome (to the authorities) Henry Swift became vicar of Penistone and, although he never was 'presented,' he stayed in post for the next 40 years.

Around 1649, the Puritan vicar Mr Henry Swyft came to Penistone looking for a living in the Church of England. He was no fool, being a graduate of Cambridge University, but some would challenge his right to practise. He was a friend of Oliver Heywood (wiki) and succeeded in being Minister of Penistone for forty tricky years until his death.

Torre’s Collections describe him as having ‘Come in by the usurped powers and consent of the Parish’ and he appears to have assumed himself into the role without being presented 'By any real or supposed Patron.' The usual way was for someone of high standing to 'present' a person as vicar, whereupon they could have a living in the church, but sometimes the line of those eligible to present a candidate would come to an end. In that situation, presenting would default to being 'by the Crown.' Not so with Swift. In effect, he saw an opening and went for it. We would now call him 'A man of the people' and there can be no doubt about his popularity, although he would have been strong in conviction and would certainly have made his feelings known. Ours was a deeply non-conformist district. Swift was also a friend to Oliver Heywood who had often preached in Penistone.

He also became a repeat visitor to York jail for his stubbornness in disobeying the edicts of Government. The '19th Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church' (later referred to as the 'Council of Trent') was held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (Trento in northern Italy) to reform and clarify doctrine. It repudiated Protestantism and led to a Catechism being issued in 1566 which described the faith and morals of the Catholic church in a simple form.

On 19th May 1662, a new 'Act of Conformity' prescribed the form of public prayers, administration of sacraments and other rites of the Established Church of England, following the rites and ceremonies in a new 'Book of Common Prayer', a book which most people would never had seen. Any minister refusing to conform to the Book of Common Prayer by 24th August 1662 (St Bartholomew's Day) would be thrown out of the Church of England, in the 'Great Ejection'. JND says about 3,000 were ejected although the number is 2,500 in Wikipedia. More than 2,000 clergymen had refused to take the oath. This established the concept of 'non-conformity' affecting a large proportion of English society for the next century and a half.

Sir Thomas Wentworth was the first Tory magistrate in the district following the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 and had been uneasy about Penistone's non-conformist ways. We must remember that the Church had great authority and influence in those days, especially when church attendance was compulsory and the Government controlled the Church as far as it could. Swift was ejected from Penistone Church on St Bartholomew's Day 1662 and soon afterwards was imprisoned in York Castle for three months, during which time Rev. Peter Naylor frequently preached in his stead, having himself been ejected from Houghton, Lancashire.

Indeed, Wentworth imprisoned him three times in as many years. Many of the ejected ministers found refuge either at Mr Rich's grand Bullhouse Hall or the chapel (opened 1692). Most of what we now call Millhouse Green (previously classed as Thurlstone) had been rough woodland and moors, probably on a mucky lane, and it is likely that Bullhouse Hall would not have easily been found. The main Manchester road had not yet been built in Swift's time. Along with many other ministers of the time (particularly in our area), Swift did not follow the prescribed form of service. He refused to teach children the Catechism and refused to wear the surplice or follow the new Book of Common Prayer. This made him a real pain the neck to the authorities, but you can't help liking the man.

From 'Yorkshire Notes and Queries' Vol 1 (pub. 1888), page 46: 'The Rev. Henry Swift was ejected from Peniston Church in 1662, and suffered three months' imprisonment in York. He returned, to his charge, and held the living until his death, without further molestation; the powerful families of the district being his supporters.' With the support and protection of local dignitaries, Swift preached to many large congregations. After the Reformation, he stayed on as Vicar in spite of continuing to be non-conformist.

More about Henry Swift's imprisonment can be found in 'Nonconformist's Memorial: Being and Account of the Ministers who were Ejected or Silenced After the Restoration, Particularly by the Act of Uniformity, Which Took Place on Bartholomew-Day, Aug. 24, 1662,' which is in two large Volumes (find it in Volume 1, see also Volume 2).

PENISTONE [V.] Mr. Henry Swift.
He came to this living about 1649, and continued preaching after Barthomelew-day, till he was imprisoned. He was three months in York castle, several Nonconformists supplying for him all the while; and when he was at liberty, he fell to preaching again. He was imprisoned a second and a third time, and was at last prevailed with to take the Oxford oath. He read some few prayers to keep his place, but neither declared his assent and consent, nor made the subscription required in the Act of Uniformity and this being but a small vicarage, for which there was no striving, he held on preaching here till his death, Oct. 31, 1689, aged 63.

Again from 'Yorkshire Notes and Queries' (pub. 1888), Volume1, referring to Heywood's Nonconformist Register, he records that: 'Mr. Henry Swift, Vicar of Peniston, died suddenly, Oct. 31, 1689, aged 68" and in Heywood's diary, he adds: "of twenty-four houres sickness."

A letter from Rev. Edmund Hough to Ralph Thoresby, 16th March 1696-7, in of JN Dransfield's newspaper cuttings described him thus: 'After his liberation he returned to his charge, which, by some unadvertance of the persecuting party, he held until his death, 1689, having been minister 40 years.' Also: 'During his imprisonment, the Rev. Peter Naylor, ejected from Houghton, Lancashire, afterwards at Wakefield, preached frequently for him.' By the way, Rev Hough's gravestone is also in Penistone church graveyard near the vestry (and Henry Swift) but it is in very poor condition. It is partly covered by another stone and the inscription is almost illegible.

From King William III (of Orange, 1650 - 1702), the 'Act of Toleration 1688' (1 Will & Mary c 18) received royal assent on 24th May 1689. This was the same year that Swift died. The Act granted some degree of freedom to non-conformists after the long time of suppression. Nonconformists would now be able to have their own places of worship and their own teachers as long as they accepted certain oaths of allegiance, continued to pay church tithes and were registered. However, they would still be discriminated against. Dissenters continued to be excluded from political office and universities.

Even in death, Swift's name has almost been erased from our local history. His last resting place is near the vestry window in Penistone churchyard but has lost his memorial stone. However, two sources give us the simple words on his gravestone. JND's History of Penistone includes a section taken from Hunters which includes the graves and memorials within and without the church and we have the same inscription in a letter from Rev Hough:

Here was interred the body of Mr. Henry Swift, November the 2nd, 1689, aged 66 years, and having been minister at Peniston forty years.

The story goes that the gravestone had temporarily been removed by workmen in 1981 for some ditch-laying work or similar in the graveyard and that the stone had been propped up in an unsafe position by the vestry door, where it subsequently became broken into several parts and possibly by the inept use of machinery. Where are the remnants now?

There was something spooky about the gravestone of such a notable but non-episcopal minister of Penistone Church becoming destroyed, as though to demonstrate the church's disdain for him. It puts one in mind of a famous lightening strike which damaged York Minster soon after a notable member of the clergy denied the Virgin birth.

In the same corner of the graveyard by the vestry is the partly-covered gravestone of Swift's daughter Joanna. The original inscription can be found in Dransfield's History of Penistone, thus: 'Here lyeth the body of Johanna Swift, who was daughter of Robert Holdanby, late of Holdanby, Esq., Deceased, and wife to Mr Henry Swift late minister of Penistone. She dyed June 22, 1696.'

The top part with has the inscription 'Here lieth the Bo..' is now inaccessible with 'dy of Johanna, etc., still readableble. Dransfield's account includes a further line but which is not to be found on Johanna's stone: 'Under this stone there lyeth one, Did good to all and harm to none.'

1904 'History of the Parish Church' Booklet
The following is verbatim from Page 13 of the booklet using OCR. It fits in with Mr Swift's incumbency:

'In Mr. Swift’s incumbency, Mr. Oliver Heywood, a Nonconformist Minister, was, not infrequently, allowed to preach in the Church. In the latter’s diary he records that he preached publicly at Peniston from ten to four (a more lengthy sermon than would be appreciated in these days) on account of the plague; this may not have been in the Church, but on an occasion when he was preaching in the Church, the congregation were alarmed by the appearance of a few troopers at the Churchgates, who were supposed to be sent by Sir Thos. Wentworth, of Bretton, the principal magistrate in this part of the country, who had several times warned the people of Peniston to forbear. Mr. Heywood was hastily conducted out of the Church and taken by a back way to “later Hall. It was, however, a needless alarm, as he was left unmolested.

'At this very disturbed period, during the Parliamentary Wars, the Church was fortified and garrisoned by the inhabitants, who, as will have already been seen, took the side of Cromwell, the Royalists being commanded by Sir Francis Wortley and others. It is said that a defender of the Church on the Tower was shot from “Wordsworth’s Yard,” probably the Yard of the “Old Hall” which stood in the rear of the house now occupied by Dr. J. A. Ross. The Old Hall was demolished about 1810 and the present house built by Dr. Booth.

'We now resume the List of Vicars:

• May, 1690 - Edmund Hough.
      He was a man of considerable learning and attainments and is said to have kept the town and parish in great awe and order.
• 14th March 1718 - Edward Jackson.
• 13th June, 1722 - Thomas Cockshutt, A.M.
• 1st June, I761 - Samuel Phipps, died 1798, succeeded by John Goodair; John Goodair died 1809, succeeded by -
• 1809 - Martin Joseph Naylor.
• 1841 - Samuel Sunderland.
      An old parishioner, who died in 1903, aged 80, used to say that when she was married the Rev. Saml Sunderland was away from home, his duty being taken by his brother, the Rev. W. Sunderland, who was to perform the ceremony, but he not being present when the wedding party arrived, a messenger was sent to the Vicarage to remind him, when he was discovered dead in bed. A clergyman was obtained from Thurgoland, who tied the knot. The Rev. Saml. Sunderland was singularly unfortunate, being in no fewer than three accidents to conveyances before he met his death in an accident to a coach at Rowsley on the 18th July.
• 1855. Oct. 21st - William Stephenson Turnbull, the present Vicar, whose incumbency, it will be seen, exceeds in duration that of any of his predecessors.

'The tomb stones of Mr. Swift, his wife and daughter, and of Mr. Hough and his wife may still be found on the North side of the Churchyard, near the Vestry Window, both in good preservation.'

Unfortunately, after the above was published, the condition of Rev H Swift's gravestone took a turn for the worse and can no longer be found, although Sarah Swift's stone is still there, presumably near to where we ought to have found Rev Swift's stone. See the Rev Henry Swyft section directly above this one.

Rev Samuel Sunderland
The vicar of Penistone Parish, Rev Samuel Sunderland was born in Wakefield on 29th August, 1806. He became Curate to Penistone church on 29th October 1829 and was appointed 'Master of Penistone Grammar School' (Headmaster) in January 1837. Presented to the living in 1841 and married Eleanor Christiana on 13th September 1843. He died on 18th July 1855 at the age of 48.

According to a scroll-like plaque inside Penistone Church (shown here), his ministerial life had lasted nearly 26 years and he had been much appreciated by the local parishioners, 'both as a pastor and friend.'

Steve Lavendar has shone further light on the character of Rev Sunderland through his 19th Story from the Stones, revealing an interest in local football. It seems that he encouraged some young players who would go on to influence events. It is well worth reading that page. See also Penistone Church Football Club's History page for more on Rev Sunderland's importantance to football.

Rev Sunderland was also was notably accident-prone while travelling. Of course, the road conditions of the day would not have been very good and the vehicles might have been fairly basic. He had a severe accident in 1843 travelling in the Lake District with his sister. The a trap accident in July 1844 at the Carlecotes bridge, and again a year later at the same place in the spring of 1845. With this pattern established, it is no surprise that he would die through another road accident, this time in Derbyshire.

The coach carrying him and others overturned at the sharp turn of Rowsley Bridge. He was on the return journey of a trip from Chatsworth and on his way to catch a train at Eckington railway station. The coach would have been the last of several to return to the station and might have hurrying to meet the required train time. Rev Sunderland was conveyed to the Peacock Inn at Rowsley but would die there. Rowsley is on the Bakewell to Matlock Road.

The memorial plaque is affixed above the vestry door in Penistone Church (in capitals throughout) and in good condition. The nature of his accidental death returning from Chatsworth is not explained on either the plaque or his gravestone beyond the 'unexpected call.' The words inscribed on the plaque are:

'To the memory of the Reverend Samuel Sunderland B.A. Vicar of this Parish. Who was accidentally killed on the 18th day of July 1855, aged 48 years. This tablet is erected to his memory by his attached and sorrowing parishioners, as a testimony of their deep regret for his loss.
His whole ministerial life of nearly 26 years was spent amongst them, and both as a Pastor and a friend. By his devoted labours and earnest affectionate spirit, he endeared himself to them, and proved himself a faithful servant of his Lord and Master, by whose unexpected call he was summoned so suddenly to his rest.
'The Memory of the Jest is Blessed'
'Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh'.

Samuel's gravestone is close to the vestry window outside. It is beautifully and very clearly inscribed and impeccably punctuated, complete with quotes. It looks as though all of the stone was inscribed at one go in 1900. This suggests that a previous stone had been replaced rather than updated, perhaps through a lack of available space for extra lettering. There is no difference in quality throughout the inscription and the inclusion of 'and Eleanor his wife' before the children shows that at least that that part was inscribed together. All lettering throughout was in capitals but it is easier to read in this form, although I have capitalised parts of it here in a style common in the 19th century:

'SACRED to the Memory of the late Samuel Sunderland Vicar of this Parish, who Died July 18th 1855, aged 48 years.
He was Minister of the Parish nearly twenty six years being upwards of twelve years a Curate, and above thirteen Vicar.
"Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours; and their Works do follow them."
Also the following Children of the above and Eleanor his wife, namely
Mary Emma, who Died January 10th 1846, aged six weeks.
Lucy Marion Winifred, who Died January `7th 1853, aged ten days.
George Arthur, who Died January 22nd 1857, aged three years.
Also of Eleanor Christiana, the wife of the above named Samuael Sunderland, born on Christmas Day 1811, Died 14th January 1900, aged 82 years.
The Lord is my Strength and Shield, I trusted in Him therefore I am helped.'

Rev William Stephenson Turnbull
Rev Canon William Stephenson Turnbull was Instituted on 20th Oct 1855 and would continue until 1913. Born 28/4/1827, died 9/8/1913, aged 86 years and in his 59th year of marriage. He gave long service to the Penistone Parish. According to JND's History of Penistone, after the protestant Reformation of 1862, Rev Turnbull revealed his latent leanings towards being highly ritualistic. This upset the parish for many years. Dransfield is vehement about what he regarded as romanising interlopers enjoying the pay of the Protestant Church.

Rev Turnbull was active in many local matters and sat on various committees. The 1898 church magazine lists Revd S Brennan MA with Revd Turnbull MA, the Licenced Lay Readers: Mr Hodgkinson, Netherfield; Mr Fulford MA, the Grammar School and Mr Crawshaw, the Union Bank, who was also a Churchwarden along with Mr Birks, Roughbirchworth and Mr Goldthorpe, Bullhouse Mill. A vestry photograph dates Canon Turnbull's tenure as 1855 to 1913.

A plain, rectangular plaque in the church has the dates of 1855 to 1905, which marks his 50 years at Penistone. It has this simple inscription:
'Will^m S Turnbull, Vicar 1855 - 1905, Fred^k Crawshaw, Benj Goldthorpe, William Birks, Churchwardens, 1905.'

Although generally well-regarded, some had voiced a desire for him to retire when he had became old. The following appeared in the 1914 Penistone Almanack, 'Reprinted from Church Times, August 22nd' (written in 1913):

William Stephenson Turnbull, Vicar of Penistone.
On August 9th, 1913, there passed away William Stephenson Turnbull, Senior Canon of Wakefield, and for fifty-eight years Vicar of Penistone. He was born April 28th, 1827, son of Dr. Turnbull, a well known Huddersfield physician. After spending some time at Huddersfield College, and reading privately with a tutor, he entered Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he graduated Junior Opt. in 1850. He was ordained in 1852 to the curacy of Carlton-in-Lindrick, then in the diocese of Lincoln. Less than three years later he was presented by Mr. Bosville, of Gunthwaite, to the parish of Penistone, in the diocese of Ripen (subsequently in the diocese of Wakefield), and to the adjoining chapelry of Midhope, in the diocese of York. Here for fifty eight years he remained, refusing many offers of preferment.

The parish of Penistone is in area one of the largest in the country, comprising many hamlets in its thirty square miles. Canon Turnbull used to say that the only priest he knew with a larger charge was Gray of Helmsley. During the fifty-eight years, four additional Mission Rooms were opened and two churches were built. At Thurlstone, where for many years a Mission Room had been in use, a church was built in 1905 through the munificence of the Misses Bray, of Horbury, and a separate parish was created. A Chapel-of-ease was built in 1856 at Carlecotes, by Mr. E. Chaprnan. Much later, a School and Mission were given to Langsett by Sir Lionel Pilkington. A room was set apart for Celebrations at a farmhouse at Snowden Hill; and services were held in the Council School at Oxspring.

Perhaps the outstanding work was the restoration of the parish church of St. John Baptist. Fresh from the traditions left at Cambridge by Benjamin Webb and John Mason Neale, William Turnbull, himself a churchman of the school of Keble, sought to improve the old pre-Tractarian interior of the church. This was done in 1862. He further took an active part in all matters of public interest in the town. He built five schools. For years he was Chairman of the District Board and a magistrate. After his jubilee in 1906, increasing years began to tell a tale. Priests to help in the parish were not forthcoming, less through any fault of the Vicar's than through the unsystematic methods of the English Church. An old man of 80 years could not work single-handed what is an impossible parish.

In 1909 the churchwardens sought to precipitate a crisis by presenting the Vicar on the technical grounds of inefficiency and neglect. A Commission sat under the Act of 1838 and decided that there was no neglect and the inefficiency was due to lack of assistant priests. Subsequently, the necessary clergy were found in the Rev. J.S.B. Brough (now of the S.P.G.) and the Rev. E.J. Martin; and the aged vicar was able to spend his last years in peace.

He was buried in the churchyard of Penistone, on August 14th (1913), the officiating clergy being Rev. Canon Walsharn How (Vicar of Meltham), the Rev. Canon W. Romaine Hervey (Rector of Barnsley and Rural Dean), and the Ven. W. Donne (Archdeacon of Huddersfield).

William Turnbull was one of an old school now sadly disappearing from public life, being kindly, courteous and generous. He had outlived his generation and much of the modern democratic spirit of the Church was alien to him. He never understood it. In his day he had been a figure in the Church; one of those who sought to bring the atmosphere and ideals of the Church revival into the rough hill-sides of the Pennines. On his soul may God have mercy.

Bullhouse Chapel
At the time of the English Civil War, Captain William Rich served in the Parliamentary Army. His son Sylvanus Rich built most of Bullhouse Hall in 1655, in what was then a secluded wooded area, long before the main road was established nearby. We now know Bull House as Bullhouse Hall.

Most churches in those days had box pews for the more elevated citizens to use, with a name-plate on each box, and Sylvanus had a named box pew in Penistone Church until Swift died. The pews were treated as personal property that could be passed on in a will. With the mid-19th century church reforms, box pews were generally replaced by bench pews for anyone to use. 

The Act of Toleration was passed in Parliament in 1689, giving non-conformists more freedom of worship, when and where they liked under licence and in registered meeting places, provided that they pledged to the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy but rejected transubstantiation (where the bread is the body of Christ). This new Act applied to Church of England dissenters but was designed to exclude the Roman Catholics.

About the time of Rev Henry Swift, it became unclear who had a legitimate right of presentation to the vicar of Penistone. The default position would be for the king and queen to present the next incumbent. Rev Edmund Hough would installed at Penistone church in May 1690, following Swift's death of 1689. Sylvanus Rich would die around the same period. His gravestone date is unclear but is 26th December 168-something and he died at the age of 56 years.

Not liking Hough's preaching style, Sylvanus' son Elkanah had the new dissenters' chapel built near to Bull House. (There might be an error here as Penistone Archive Group has Sylvanus Rich building the chapel in 1692, Bullhouse section).

Sylvanus Rich registered Bullhouse Hall as a place of worship on 18th April 1692. Henry stayed on as vicar after the Reformation, despite continuing to be non-conformist. By the time of his death in 1689, the non-conformists had greater freedom to meet. This chapel would continue the popular, non-conformist worship and many of the ejected ministers found a place of refuge there. Rev Henry Swift (1621-1689) would be interred in Penistone churchyard near the East door.

The first Vicar at Bullhouse Chapel, in 1692, was Rev Daniel Denton. He proved popular and attracted a good congregation of perhaps 200. He died in 1721 and was buried in the chapel yard. William Halliday is in JND's cuttings as being minister in 1740 and domestic chaplain to Hans Busk of Bull House. Rev Benjamin Shaw was a minister of Bullhouse Chapel from 1748. He died 28th September 1771. His successor is not known but the names of Reyner and Lewis occur in Chapel records without dates. Thomas Halliday from Keighley (educated in Daventry) was minister from 1772 until 1793. He failed as a businessman in connection with an Iron Works (likely to be Hepworth) in 1810, after which he became a preacher in Diss, Norfolk.

Halliday's successor might have been Rev Reyner from Northowram. Formerly a Sheffield merchant, John Hewett was a Bullhouse preacher 'in the Methodist New Connexion' (dates unknown), then a preacher in Penistone, ultimately to become a Unitarian. He relinquished the ministry and resumed business. Bullhouse went into decline after this time, with just a Sunday service. A schoolmaster of the name of Morton had granted £10 per annum to the Chapel on condition that the minister or schoolmaster should be a Wesleyan. Bullhouse was in Wesleyan hands for half a century.

An interesting article in the Barnsley Chronicle (Carolyn Thorpe, 11th Nov 2016) had notes about Bullhouse Chapel from an unspecified Penistone Almanack. It explained that the interior had been wainscoted in oak, square panelled from local trees and that the high-backed pews were peculier to the period. It also referred to careful restoration work over the years of its wooden features and the 'quaint oak pulpit'. The article goes on to say that the hall and chapel were rescued from decay owing to the Hinchliff family. When the raised platforms had been removed for renovation in 1905, ten gravestones were discovered below, belonging to the Rich family with dates from 1700 to 1709. See also the Bullhouse Chapel page (link below).

The lapse in the right of presentation for Penistone church was resolved in 1717, by inquest, in favour of William Godfrey of Gunthwaite. The local historian John Ness Dransfield held the opinion that Wm Godfrey did not have the best claim in this matter.

See also the Bullhouse Chapel page.

In Conversation with Rev David Hopkin
Rev David Hopkin is well-liked in Penistone and almost universally referred to as 'Father David,' which is the name used on this website. This conversation took place in June 2015 and touched upon Team Rectors, church structure and some history. We did not discuss the Saxon cross shown here but it is a well-known feature built into a pillar near the pulpit. This was the best place on the page for it.

Rev David Baxter. He was the first Team Rector (six churches) from around 1981. From Penistone, the Rev'd Canon David Baxter went on to become Canon Precentor at Carlisle Cathedral. A Precentor is (from Wiki) 'A person who helps facilitate worship.' and 'Most cathedrals have a precentor in charge of the organisation of liturgy and worship.'

Rev JC Norton. Had been a monk from South Africa. Came to Penistone from Mirfield. Originally involved in the anti-apartheid struggle with Rev Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Huddleston and others in Africa. Rev Norton went back to Mirfield after three years in Penistone.

Partway through perhaps half an hour of talking, I remembered to start a sound recording, with Fr David's permission, leading to some further points of interest. such as:

The incumbent is legally responsible for the fixtures and fittings of the church and the buildings, shared with the Church Council. What was once called the Freehold, which gave the incumbent a sort of ownership, became 'Common Tenure', as a shared agreement between the incumbent and the Bishop. This fits better with the law of the land and employment rights. These days, the Bishop has more rights over the incumbent but they would normally work together in a common agreement. Incumbents who were in place as Team Rector from before around 1992 could continue in the older freehold arrangement, untouched legally, until they reached 70 years old. They would effectively have full control.

Historically Denby Dale came under Penistone but some of the old traditions have continued even though the parishes have changed over time. The incumbent of Penistone (currently Fr David Hopkin) continues as 'patron' of Denby Dale.

From Fr David's memory, the Team Rectors of Penistone Team which started in 1986 were:

• Fr David Baxter. After Penistone, he went to Carlisle,
• Fr John Norton. After Penistone, he went to Mirfield,
• Fr David Turnbull. Who was from Penistone. He went to Carlisle,
• Fr George Mitchellin,
• Fr David Hopkin (himself, current).

Fr David has officiated at many a wedding, baptism, funeral and remembrance event over the years. That being so, some people have criticised the changes he has made from time to time. But, with the decline in public worship, the role of the church has had to adapt to the times to stay relevant. In effect, the choice might have come down to this: Remain like a museum or adapt for more community activity. Putting it another way, do we want the church to be sold off as a carpet warehouse (or worse) or to stay in use as a central hub in the community?

There was some controversy when Fr David removed the church pews to provide a flexible open space for community activities but it opened the church up to include more community activities which would have been otherwise difficult or restricted, such as Art at the Altar (annual arts and crafts festival), public meetings, exhibitions and even beer festivals. People do not like change but, although the church building is effectively a museum because of its great antiquity, it is also a functional building. A kitchen and accessible toilet were also installed and this has facilitated weekly coffee mornings and light lunches. A major exhibition in the church occurred in 2018 to commemorate the end of the Great War. Although cancelled during the 2020 pandemic, a major exhibition had been arranged for inside the church to mark the end of war in europe. All of these events were facilitated through the work of Fr David.

Page Sections
A repeat of the list as at the top of this page.

• Rectors and Vicars - Introduction.
• JND's List - Rectors and Vicars from John Ness Dransfield's 'A History of the Parish of Penistone' 1906.
• Patronage - The power of Presentation.
• 1226 and Who Knows What - A list of indecipherable abbreviations.
• 1229 and All That - Competing churches at the beginning but Penistone wins in the end.
• Full List of Rectors and Vicars - These sections are within the table structure.
  • Rectors Become Vicars - A change from landowners to ecclesiastics.
  • Rev Wm Wordsworth - Funded the building of Boulder Bridge, Oxspring.
  • Turbulent Times Ahead - Starting with Martin Luther's list, 1517.
  • The Book of Martyrs - Mr Foxe's book was received by Penistone church in 1666, to be kept in perpetuity. It was still there (re-bound) in 1798.
  • The Problem of Presentation - The dispute in 1717 over who had the right to present the next Vicar.
  • Rev Joseph Horsfall - Possibly related to another Rev J Horsfall.
  • Rev Martin Joseph Naylor AM DD - The absentee Penistone Vicar.
  • St Saviour's Church - A gift to Thurlstone from the Bray sisters.
  • Charles Dudley - Of Carlecotes Parsonage. Grave inscription only.
  • Penistone Team Ministry - A new beginning and the return of the 'Rector.'
• The Vestry Photographs - Some names deciphered.
• Denby Chapel - More about the 1627 Chapel of Easement.
  • Rebuilt 1845
  • Path Dispute
  • Denby Ministers
• Rev Henry Swyft - An Unusual and Popular Dissenter who held office 40 years, from 1649.
• History of the Parish Church - Booklet in 1904.
• Rev Samuel Sunderland - Died 1855 in an accident. Very accident-prone.
• Rev William Stephenson Turnbull - Vicar 1855 to 1913.
• Bullhouse Chapel - From the age of dissenters.
• Talking with Rev D Hopkin
• Links

Please also visit the Church History page.
Also see Story 19 titled 'Rev Samuel Sunderland (1806 - 1855) - Curate, PGS Headmaster and Vicar' written by Steve Lavender, from the 'Stories from the Stones' series.

Links
A few links related to this subject.

• Penistone Church History - On this website.
• 'History of the Parish of Penistone' - JN Dransfield's great work can now be downloaded in various formats.
• Bullhouse Chapel - On this website.
• Bullhouse on Genuki - Lists the names of incumbents.
• York Archbishop Registers - Only two entries for Penistone.
• Give a Little - People can donate to the church.
• Penistone Church, Facebook.
• Old PGS Articles (Archive.org) by John Addy (school and church were intertwined): YAHS Volume 39, pages 356 - 363 also 508 - 514 and YAHS Volume 40, pages 112 - 118.