The present Vicarage is the only other endowment. It was altered and enlarged in the year 1803 by a subscription of the Patrons and Parishioners under an Act passed 17 Geo. III. (1777) entitled "an Act to promote the Residence of the Parochial Clergy," commonly called "the Gilbert Act." It was enlarged in 1822 by the Rev. C. S. Stanhope and the Rev. I. Hunt.
The following was more than once told me about it by the late Mr. J. Stanhope. When he bought the Banks estate, the solicitor, Mr. Keir, found that there had never been any legal conveyance of the Vicarage property when it was bought under the Gilbert Act by the parishioners, but that it was held at a small nominal rent. Mr. Stanhope accordingly claimed it as part of his purchase, and then offered it as a Benefaction to Queen Anne's Bounty for £600, which after considerable negociation was at last given, as stated above. The front of the Vicarage was rebuilt in the time of the Rev. J. Goodair, who, it is mentioned in the Vestry Book, was "allowed to live in one of the Town-houses during the alteration"—the first one nearest the South. The house was considerably enlarged in 1873 by Mr. Stanhope, when a new study was also built, at a total cost of £700 or £800.
The present garden and croft are given in the Terrier as measuring one acre.
There is a tradition that the house to the West of the Vicarage now known as "Johnny Roberts' House" was built for the residence of the Rev. Chr. Walbank about 1690, and the name of "the study" survived in it, as long as the house was inhabited. For a hundred and twenty years or more this house was in the occupation of the Roberts family, who succeeded its former occupant "Dame Rowley."
An anecdote of the still older "Minister's house," the Old Vicarage now destroyed, has been handed down: The Vicar of that time used to eke out his pittance by basket-making. He is said to have once mistaken the day of the week, and to have been sent for to the Church on Sunday, when the Congregation was waiting. Tradition says that he was found working at what he supposed was his Saturday's basket, having "clean forgotten" that his having been
