The Middleton Accounts of 1526: #13

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was described as money paid to Thomas Slade for holy water for the three quarters due to him on Our Lady’s Day. Lady Day was the common English name for the Feast of the Annunciation, which was celebrated on 25th March. The amount was 12 pence, which was the equivalent of about £22.06 today.

St John's Church, Middleton, Warwickshire, 2015. Photograph taken by Debbie Jordan.

There is some uncertainty around the precise meaning of this entry but it is thought to relate to the role and activities of the holy water clerk. The holy water clerk was normally a layman from the local community but was considered a highly important person. They were responsible for carrying the bucket of holy water, serving at mass, acting as a sacristan, assisting the priest with pastoral visits, and collecting the fees from the community for supplying the holy water to households. The clerk supplied the holy water to the households of the parish not only for blessings but also, more importantly, to drive away “evil”. For that service, the clerk charged a fee. Following the Reformation, the use of holy water diminished and this role and its associated duties faded to what became known as the parish clerk. The identity of the holy water clerk at Middleton in 1526 is unknown.

It is thought that this entry may have been a payment to the holy water clerk for the practical provision of holy water. The comprehension of the “three quarters” is more problematic because it could refer to the time period of nine months or three-quarters of a payment due. However, in the original entry the exact text was “three quart” and was extended to quarters by W. Stevenson. If the real meaning was actually quart, it could also possibly refer to the liquid measure itself, which would be the equivalent of about 2.8 litres.

Next entry: 29th March

Further Reading: W. H. Stevenson, Report on the Manuscripts of Lord Middleton, Historical Manuscripts Commission, 1911. p.379.

Stuart A. Raymond, “The Parish Clerk”, Discover Your Ancestors, no. 98, June 2021. https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/discover-your-ancestors/periodical/98/the-parish-clerk-3120/?

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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