Glebe
Encyclopedia
Glebe
Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor
and parish
used to support a parish priest
.
. This was property
(in addition to the parsonage house and grounds) which was assigned to support the priest. Glebe included a wide variety of properties including strips in the open field system
or could be grouped together into a compact plot of land. Tithes were in early times the main means of support for the parish
clergy but glebe land was either granted by the lord of the manor
of the manor
in which the church was situated, often with co-terminous boundaries as the parish
, or accumulated from other donations of particular pieces of land and was rarely sold. The amount of such land varied from parish to parish, occasionally forming a complete glebe farm. Information about the glebe would be recorded at ecclesiastical visitations in a glebe "terrier
" (Latin terra, land). It could also entail complete farms, individual fields, shops, houses, or factories. A holder of a benefice could retain the glebe for his own use, usually for agricultural exploitation, or he could "farm" it (i.e. lease it) to others and retain the rent as the income.
ceased to belong to individual incumbents as from 1 April 1978, by virtue of the Endowments and Glebe Measure 1976. It became vested on that date, "without any conveyance or other assurance," in the Diocesan Board of Finance of the diocese
to which the benefice owning the glebe belonged, even if the glebe was in another diocese. From 1571 onwards, Church of England glebe was listed in a document called a glebe terrier
, compiled by the incumbent of the benefice.
where the Church of England was the established church, glebe land was distributed by the colonial government, and was often farmed or rented out by the church rector
to cover living expenses. The Reformed Church also provided glebes for the benefit of the pastor. The Reformed Church continued this practice through at least the 1850s. The many roads in the eastern United States and other former British colonial possessions that bear this name once ran past a church glebe property.
Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor
Manor
-Land tenure:*Manor, an estate in land of the mediaeval era in England*Manorialism, a system of land tenure and organization of the rural economy and society in parts of medieval Europe based on the manor*Manor house, the principal house of a manor...
and parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
used to support a parish priest
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
.
Medieval origins
In the Roman Catholic and Anglican church traditions, a glebe was an area of land belonging to a beneficeBenefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
. This was property
Property
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
(in addition to the parsonage house and grounds) which was assigned to support the priest. Glebe included a wide variety of properties including strips in the open field system
Open field system
The open field system was the prevalent agricultural system in much of Europe from the Middle Ages to as recently as the 20th century in some places, particularly Russia and Iran. Under this system, each manor or village had several very large fields, farmed in strips by individual families...
or could be grouped together into a compact plot of land. Tithes were in early times the main means of support for the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
clergy but glebe land was either granted by the lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of the manor
Manor
-Land tenure:*Manor, an estate in land of the mediaeval era in England*Manorialism, a system of land tenure and organization of the rural economy and society in parts of medieval Europe based on the manor*Manor house, the principal house of a manor...
in which the church was situated, often with co-terminous boundaries as the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, or accumulated from other donations of particular pieces of land and was rarely sold. The amount of such land varied from parish to parish, occasionally forming a complete glebe farm. Information about the glebe would be recorded at ecclesiastical visitations in a glebe "terrier
Glebe terrier
A glebe terrier is a term specific to the Church of England. It is a document, usually a written survey or inventory, which gives details of glebe, lands and property in the parish owned by the Church of England and held by a clergyman as part of the endowment of his benefice, and which provided...
" (Latin terra, land). It could also entail complete farms, individual fields, shops, houses, or factories. A holder of a benefice could retain the glebe for his own use, usually for agricultural exploitation, or he could "farm" it (i.e. lease it) to others and retain the rent as the income.
Church of England
Glebe associated with the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
ceased to belong to individual incumbents as from 1 April 1978, by virtue of the Endowments and Glebe Measure 1976. It became vested on that date, "without any conveyance or other assurance," in the Diocesan Board of Finance of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
to which the benefice owning the glebe belonged, even if the glebe was in another diocese. From 1571 onwards, Church of England glebe was listed in a document called a glebe terrier
Glebe terrier
A glebe terrier is a term specific to the Church of England. It is a document, usually a written survey or inventory, which gives details of glebe, lands and property in the parish owned by the Church of England and held by a clergyman as part of the endowment of his benefice, and which provided...
, compiled by the incumbent of the benefice.
Scotland
Glebe land in Scotland was subject to an Act of Parliament in 1925 which meant that it would be transferred little by little to the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland.United States
In the American colonies of Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
where the Church of England was the established church, glebe land was distributed by the colonial government, and was often farmed or rented out by the church rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
to cover living expenses. The Reformed Church also provided glebes for the benefit of the pastor. The Reformed Church continued this practice through at least the 1850s. The many roads in the eastern United States and other former British colonial possessions that bear this name once ran past a church glebe property.
Further reading
- Beresford, M. W. (1948) "Glebe terriers in open field Leicestershire", in: Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological Society; vol. 24