Visitors and Members of Helpston Local History Group, were enlightened by an entertaining and informative talk, titled “The Parish Priest” given by Reverend Gary Alderson in St Botolph’s Church, Helpston on Thursday 21st March.
Gary gave us an insight into the titles given to the priest, the stipend they were given, and the tasks they performed. We heard about two priests from Ufford and Barnack and the Revd. Charles Mossop, Vicar of Helpston and later Rector of Etton.
Charles was appointed Vicar of Helpston by Christ’s College Cambridge, in 1817 at the age of 24. In 1836 he married the widow of the late Revd Edward Booth of Friskney. On the 1841 Census, his wife Lucy, servants, and Mary Mossop, Lucy’s sister-in-law, were recorded as residing in Helpston. Revd Charles was on holiday in Tarbet, Scotland with his stepdaughter Lucy, his sister Catherine, and his brother-in-law.
Charles befriended the poet John Clare who lived opposite the Old Vicarage and assisted him not only spiritually but also by offering monetary gifts in times of need. Charles and John were both born in 1793.
Charles purchased various items for St Botolph’s Church including a silver communion set, an oak box used for holding the silver communion set, and an organ. He also gave the church a small piece of land and to this day, rent is paid into a charity fund managed by the churches of Etton and Helpston.
Charles was a landowner as well as a priest. On the 1873 government land survey, he is registered as owning a total of over 700 acres across Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire.
The stipend in Helpston was only £99 per annum and in 1853 Charles became Rector of Etton and moved into the newly built Rectory with his wage increasing to more than £400 per annum.
Following the death of his first wife, in 1876 Charles married his great-niece, Mary Jane Lewis Harvey, She was 25 and he was 83. She supported him and the parish until he died in 1883 at the age of 90.
Our next bi-monthly meeting takes place in May and is only open to members of the group. We will have a stand at Willowbrook Open Day on Sunday, June 16th and at Helpstonbury on Saturday, June 22nd. Do come along to view our displays.
