Bagden is bought, the conveyance of which bears the date of June 17, 1725. This has since been sold—in 1840—to the late Mr. George Norton, and the purchase money invested by the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty in the Three per Cent. Consols for the benefit of the Living. In the Conveyance it is recited that Mr. John Spencer is "the Patron of the Living in virtue of paying the annual sum of £12 and upwards out of the £17 directed to be paid by the decree which gave the patronage to him or those who paid the larger part of it."
A list of the subscribers towards this £200 raised in the Parish is given in the old Register: Sir Wm. Wentworth £50; W. Bosseville £10; John Spencer £50; W. Spencer £10; W Greene £10; Sarah Beaumont £3; John Grammer £1—1—6; Eliz: Grammer £2; Wm. Thorpe £2; Wm. Smith £1—5; John Rowley £2—10—0; John Lindley £1—1—6; Mr. Bright £10—15; Mr. Robt. Hall £1; John Micklethwaite ₤1—12—3; Timothy Beaver £1; Timothy Fawley £1; Wm. Woffenden £1; Matthew Wood ₤1—10; Edw. Rhodes £1—10; John Fretwell £1; Jonathan West 10s. There are 51 names altogether, from 2s. 6d. upwards: £40 of Parish-Stock is given towards it, and Mr. Cockshutt contributes £20—0—4, to make up the required sum.
The Queen Anne's Bounty, from which £200 of the above purchase money was received, is the Board of Trustees in whom Queen Anne vested the tenths and firstfruits of all the Benefices which had been seized by Henry VIII. as being "the pope's successor in his fees as he was in his supremacy." After being given up by Queen Mary, they were reannexed to the Crown on the accession of Elizabeth, but were finally restored to the Church by Queen Anne, and vested in this Bounty Board, for the augmentation of poor livings, all livings under £50 a year being at the same time discharged from their payment.
When the Bagden Farm of forty acres was bought, "Mr. Wm. Spencer kept the wood to himself, allowing in lieu thereof a Rent charge of £1 5s. per annum for ever out of Hollin House in the Parish (sic) of Clayton West."
