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CLARBOROUGH: THE PARISH CHURCH.

This church was founded and endowed in 1258 and was, by Sewall, Archbishop of York, given to his newly founded chapel of St. Mary and All Angels, (sometimes called St. Sepulchres,) near the minster at York. On the 4th of the nones of May in that year, it was consecrated by Sewall, who directed that the vicar should have the altarage, with a toft and croft lying next to the church yard, the tythes of the enclosed crofts of the town, and the tythes of the mills at Bolum, with which he should also find honest sustentation for the chaplain at Greenley, and to another chaplain, if he should serve at Clarberough, Wellum, and Bolum. Gilbert de Tyva, (who was made sacrist,) and his successors, was ordered to give therefrom, to the poor of the parish, five marks yearly. The patronage of this living came to the crown at the dissolution of the before mentioned chapel, in which it continued until king James granted it to Lord Cavendish, afterwards Earl of Devonshire, in whose gift, and his heirs, it continued to be vested until recently, when it was purchased by Richard Woodhouse, Esq. of London.

In 1393, Clarborough formed one of the prebends of the cathedral at York, at which time Roger de Weston was prebendary; by whom it was created, or when discontinued, I have not been able to learn.

The church stands to the south-cast of the village, on the side of a hill, and is surrounded by an extensive burial ground, where the silent ashes of the dead commingle with their parent earth. The building consists of a nave, a chancel, and two side aisles; the tower is squat and embattled, and contains three bells.

I remember visiting this church five years ago, when the outside was in a most delapidated condition, and the interior far from prepossessing; on my late visit, however, I was gratified to find that a great change had been made for the better; the whole of the inner walls having been drawn and squared in imitation of stonework; a considerable portion of the body been repewed; a gallery been erected at the west end, and a small organ, (for which the parishioners are indebted to the munificence of H. C. Hutchinson, Esq.) Several of the windows are entirely new, and the whole fabric is highly creditable to those under whose management the improvements have been effected.

There are at present few monumental inscriptions remaining of antiquarian importance; the following are the chief.

Beneath the altar rails,—

Here lyeth the body of EDMUND BROWSE, who died the 4th of Feb. 1677.

On another adjoining, surmounted by a shield,—

Here is interred the body of Mr. ROBERT MOWER, who departed this life the 7th July, 1748, aged 39 years.

Within the altar rails,—

Here lieth the body of JANE SMITH, daughter of Mary Southworth, and daughter in law to Edward Southworth, of Wellam, who died the 17th of May, 1673.

Adjoining the above,—

Here lieth the body of ELIZABETH SOUTHWORTH daughter of Edward

Southworth, and Mary, his wife, of Wellom, who died the 7th of June, 1675.

Inside the altar rails to the north,—

Sacred to the memory of JOHN THOROLD, Esq. Ob.. June, 14, 1812, aged 29

years: of Rev. CHARLES THOROLD, late of Peter House, Cambridge, ob. May 9, 1820, aged 32 years: the third and fourth sons of Samuel Thorold, Esq. and of Susannah his wife. Also to the memory of Mrs ELIZABETH GOODACRE, ob. Sept. 13, 1815, aged 95 years; the mother of the above Susannah Thorold.

Without the altar rails,—

Sacred to the memory of SAMUEL THOROLD, of Welham, Esq. son of the late Sir John Thorold, bart, of Cranwell, in the county of Lincoln, died 18th January, 1825, in the 76th year of his age.

Under the gallery, at the west end, is a mural monument, surmounted by a female figure weeping over an urn, with a long inscription as under,—

Here lies interred the body of THOMAS OUTYBRIDGE, late of Bollom House, who died the 27th August, 1772, aged 43 years. CATHARINE, the daughter of the said Thomas Outybridge, and Catharine his wife, died the 9th July, 1766, aged 5 months. THOMAS their son, died the 15th July, 1771, aged 5 months. MILDRED their daughter, died the 26th Dec. 1772, aged 3 years and 10 months. Catharine their daughter, died the 1st January, 1773, aged 7 months. Not lost, but gone before. In a dormitory beneath this place, are deposited the earthly remains of Mary Outybridge, the only surviving child of the said Thomas Outybridge, and Catharine his wife, she departed this life the 21st of August, 1808, aged 41 years.

"Thou fair example from thy early youth,
Of modest wisdom, and pacific truth,
Compos’d in sufferings, and in joy sedate,
Thy faith and hope in God and Christ was great.
Go that where only bliss sincere is known,
Go where to love and to enjoy are one.
Yet take these tears, mortality’s relief,
And till I share thy bliss, forgive my grief.
This small remembrance on this at one receive,
‘Tis all a mother, all a friend can give."

After a weary pilgrimage on earth, here rest the remains of Cath. Harrison, mother of the above named children, who she humbly hopes to meet in heaven died 18th Sept. 1825, aged 78.

The living is a discharged vicarage, and the church is dedicated to St. John the baptist. It was valued at £8 when the sacrist of St. Mary’s was patron; it is valued at £9. 15s. 4d. in the king’s books. Patron, Richard Woodhouse, Esq. Incumbent, the Rev. J. W. Brooks.

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