ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY been already observed that the Leicestershire churches were not badly neglected even in the eighteenth century ; and in Archdeacon Bonney's first visitation of 1 832 he did not find many cases of great disorder. Of course there were a few. Of Branston in Framland deanery he notes the church in wretched condition ; pews and seats rotten, everything in disorder ; the chancel out of repair, the roofs, walls, and floor requiring attention, dirt accumulated. An old green ' communion cloth,' patched and ragged, hung over the altar ; there were no cloths for the pulpit or reading desk, and no heating apparatus. 813 At Barkestone things were not much better. Of Ab Kettleby he remarks that it was in a ' deplorable condition,' ' the worst I have seen.' But the churches in the towns and larger villages were usually in fair order, and it is only just to note that in every place where the archdeacon found anything amiss, some effort was made to comply with his directions, so that throughout the county there was a distinct improvement by 1842. Yet the general standard, even where all was considered decent and sufficient, seems to us deplorably low. Thus, as in the days of Bishop Wake, fifteen or sixteen celebrations of the Holy Eucharist in a year (that is to siy once a month besides the three great festivals) was the maximum recorded, and that only in large towns. 314 Three or four in a year sufficed for most of the country villages. In the matter of mattins and evensong there had been a distinct railing off ; the recitation of these offices on Wednesdays, Fridays, and holy days, which was almost universal a century before, had now practically ceased ; in towns there was a single weekday service, 816 in the country none at all. Ash Wednesday was sometimes noticed ; that curiously unpopular festival, Ascension Day, scarcely heeded at all. Then the furniture of the churches was certainly plain, even to meanness. A green baize altar- cloth, or a cover of black, brown, or purple, would pass muster with the arch- deacon so long as it was sound and strong ; a crimson velvet one, the gift of noble patrons, as at Ashby de la Zouch, was noted with satisfaction, and not too common. Pulpit and desk cloths were often ragged and faded ; and it is especially distressing to notice that the altar linen, even at such a church as St. Martin's, Leicester, was so often old, stained, and in need of mending or renewal, and the clergy and wardens in some places seem to have required two or three admonitions on this subject. 818 So matters stood in i842, 817 and it is of real importance in this generation to set such facts in a clear light, as without their help we are in danger of forgetting how wonderful are the changes that have passed over the Church during the last half-century. It is easy to count up churches that have been built and restored ; this form of activity is partly the result of influences not 111 The rector was at this time non-resident. In 1 842 the archdeacon noticed that the rector had returned, and had made real efforts to put things straight ; and said the church was much improved since he first saw it. "* In Leicester, at St Martin's, St. Mary's, All Saints, and St. Nicholas, there was a monthly celebration. This was a distinct improvement since the days of Bishop Wake. St. Margaret's did not come under the archdeacon's jurisdiction, but the standard there was probably the same as at the other Leicester churches. Loughborough and Ashby de la Zouch maintained their old standard well, with some variations (e.g. at the latter place there were fifteen celebrations in 1832, but in 1842 only twelve). " 5 St. Martin's, Leicester, is again an honourable exception, having services every day but one in 1832, and every day in 1842. At Loughborough there were daily services all the time. 116 For proof see the visitation reports of St. Martin's, Bottesford, Barkestone, Bringhurst, &c. 117 Even in 1846 at Claybrooke the only chalice was a cup of German glass with views of German towns on it, which was actually in use. Trollope, Ch. Plate of Le'ic. i, 340. 397
