An galleries, as well as by an additional vestry on the north.443 organ, purchased by subscription, has also been lately introduced. Upon the west wall is a tablet to the memory of the Rev. Lawrence Butterworth, M. A., who after being minister of this community upwards of sixty years, died in 1828, aged eighty-seven. There is a Sunday-school connected with the meeting, wherein about seventy children are instructed, who are also partially clothed. The present minister is the Rev. John Hockin, who was appointed in 1837. The endowment seems to have been chiefly furnished by bequests from Mrs. Ann Seward of Bengeworth, who survived her husband, a gentleman of fortune, who had early attached himself to the Rev. George Whitfield. These bequests, in addition to the tenements already noticed in the trust-deed, are given below. 444 443 In 1786 the site with sundry tenements adjoining were, in consideration of £410, conveyed by Mr. Joseph Whitford to and to the use of the Rev. Lawrence Butterworth and Mr. James Pearce, their heirs and assigns. Toward payment of this sum various gifts and bequests to the society, amounting to £350, were employed; as appears by an "order" from the members, dated 14th January, 1755. In 1789 Mr. Butterworth and Mr. Pearce, by indenture of 30th October, conveyed this entire property, meeting-house included, to trustees; who were to pay the rents, &c. to the said Mr. Butterworth and his assigns, while he continued minister, and to succeeding ministers, for their support: holding the meeting-house and burial-ground for the sole benefit of the congregation therein described. Power is also given to charge the premises to the extent of £150 and interest, being the amount of debt incurred; with a proviso in case the community should dissolve, or cease to have a minister for one whole year. In 1802 the trust was renewed, but limiting any charge upon the premises to £31 13s. 114d. And in 1827 the trust was renewed for the last time. The premises being then conveyed upon trust that the trustees should, after repairs, pay the rents and profits to the minister for the time holding the meeting-house and burial-ground "for the benefit of the congregation of protestant dissenters called Particular Baptists." Provision is also made for the continuation of the trust, and for the annual audit of the trust accounts at a public meeting of the subscribers. The whole concludes with the proviso in the former deed, in case of lapse or dissolution. 444 In 1753, Mrs. Seward of Bengeworth bequeathed to trustees £4450, to various religious uses among "Particular Baptists." Of this, the interest of £400 South Sea Annuities, was, after the death of the Rev. Mr. Mower, to be paid to the minister for the time being of that congregation, to be applied in support of monthly Lectures in Divinity, to be preached in Bengeworth. The interest of another sum of £400 South Sea Annuities, was also, after the death of Mr. Mower, to be appropriated to each succeeding minister of his congregation at Bengeworth, for the purpose of teaching poor children to read at Badsey, at two schools in Evesham, and at one in Bengeworth, in the proportions named. Respecting these bequests the Commissioners upon the Charity Inquiry reported in 1830-That the interest of £400 for teaching : MILL-STREET MEETING-HOUSE.-This place of worship originated in a secession occasioned by the removal of the old Baptist congregation from Bengeworth; of which congregation Mr. Butterworth was then minister. In 1789 the site of the present structure was purchased from the late Mr. John Roper of Bengeworth, who liberally gave one hundred guineas, the amount of the purchase-money, toward the erection of the building.4 445 This was soon after completed and is a neat and commodious structure; the interior having recently been refitted and otherwise improved. This meetinghouse is occupied by the baptist denomination; and their present minister, the Rev. J. D. Casewell, was appointed in 1842. Interments do not take place in the chapel; but there is a tablet against the western wall to the memory of the Rev. William Downs, who died in 1840, and another on the opposite side to the memory of Mrs. May. In the Sunday-school connected with the meeting about eighty-five children are instructed. METHODIST MEETING-HOUSE.-The Wesleyan Methodists during the earlier period of their existence in this town possessed no stated place of public worship. When first Mr. Wesley and his colleagues included Evesham in their progresses, they used a room in Deacle's school at Bengeworth. But a legacy of £400 having subsequently been bequeathed by Mrs. Guy of Great Hampton, toward the erection of a chapel at Evesham, that legacy, together with subscriptions, was employed in 1808, in building the present chapel, with a residence for the minister, which adjoins it.446 These are situated children, is appropriated by payments of £2 128. to a schoolmistress in Bengeworth, appointed by the Cole-street minister; and of £5 8s. to the two schools-now consolidated at Evesham. And that the further interest of £400 is appropriated to the preaching of a lecture every two months in Cole-street chapel; for which £9 per annum is paid, beside £3 for incidental expenses.- Commissioners' 24th Report, p. 515. 445 Conveyed by indenture of 6th October 1789, to trustees, upon trust to erect a meeting-house "which was at all times to be used for the worship of God by the parties thereto, their families, and the church, society, or congregation of protestant dissenters, residing within the borough," holding the very debateable but stringent Calvinian sentiments set forth at large in the deed: concluding with a proviso for appointment of new trustees, when by death reduced to five. This trust was renewed by indenture of 9th and 10th January, 1824. 446 By indenture of 25th March, 1808, enrolled in chancery 5th September same year, William Rose conveyed the site to trustees, that they should permit such in Chapel-street, the ancient Caponpot Lane, leading to the Conduit Hill, another ancient designation which we wish to keep in view, although the conduit itself has long been overthrown. There is a small burial-ground next the street, in which are stones commemorating Mr. Richard Maile, Mrs. Robert Huxley, and children of other families. The present ministers are the Rev. John Stevens and the Rev. Edwin Thorley, appointed by the conference of 1844. In 1841 a separate building was erected adjoining the chapel, for the use of the Sunday-school, which had previously been established; and in the school about 112 children are at present instructed and partially clothed. CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL.-A small but neat structure, called Ebenezer Chapel, situated near the Market-place, was erected during the spring of 1844, and opened on the 28th of August following. It was built chiefly by individuals who had been connected with the Wesleyan Society; and the Rev. James Smith, recently a preacher in that community, is minister. There is a Sunday-school conducted in a room detached from the chapel, where about forty children are taught. The trust-deed of this property is not—while we print the present sheet-as yet completed. minister as should be appointed by the yearly Conference of Wesleyan Methodists, to preach in the chapel then erecting, and to occupy the premises during his ministry. Provided that such minister should not be so appointed for more than two successive years without the written consent of the trustees; with a proviso for the renewal of trustees when reduced to two, together with power to mortgage the premises, until any debt contracted should be discharged. CHAPTER XI. BENGEWORTH DIVISION OF THE TOWN-FREE-SCHOOLCHAPEL OF ST. PETER, WITHIN THE DEANERY OF THE MONASTERYTRANSFER OF THE ENTIRE PARISH FROM THE POSSESSION OF EVESHAM ABBEY. BENGEWORTH was at the time of Domesday Survey a mere hamlet in the then wide-spread parish of Cropthorne, and consisted but of a few detached farm-buildings, near the high-road then conducting to the abbey of Evesham in its vicinity. By its proximity to that foundation it, at a later period, gradually increased; and when Evesham became deprived of the distinction of its monastery, the inhabitants here seem to have urged their claims to equality with the inmates of the older town, by arguments of no gentle character. For in the reign of James the First, that pacific ruler intimates, in the preamble of his second charter to the borough, that "controversies, dissensions" and other irregularities occurring here, had occasioned "damage, grief, and molestation" to the more sedate indwellers of Evesham and therefore, for the better rule, government, and improvement of the entire town, he incorporates Bengeworth within the borough of Evesham. This municipal junction has thenceforward continued; and Bengeworth thus participates in the improvements and advantages of its elder neighbour. : Eyelwey, abbot of Evesham in the reign of William I. is stated to have unjustly acquired a portion of the present parish, by defrauding the church of Worcester of four hides here-equivalent to about four hundred acres; these having at that time formed part of the manor of Cropthorne, which belonged to Worcester Church. In the |