§ MR. CLOUGH (Yorkshire, W.R., Skipton)To ask the hon. Member for the Crewe Division, as Ecclesiastical Commissioner, whether he is aware that about the year 1859 those locally interested purchased, by means of subscription, certain land to be added to the churchyard at Grindleton, near Clitheroe; whether he can say of what amount of acreage it consisted and what became of it, what proportion was appropriated for the living in June, 712 1860, and what proportion was added to the churchyard in May, 1864; whether it is now proposed to add another portion of this same plot of land to the churchyard; and whether it is proposed to effect this by means of a sale or gift.
(Answered by Mr. Tomkinson.) As the hon. Member for the Skipton Division has been privately informed, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in the years 1858 and 1859 were aware that steps were being taken at Grindleton, near Clitheroe, for the purchase of certain land, part of which was intended to be added to the glebe belonging to the living, and the other part was to be added to the churchyard. The Commissioners, who were not concerned in the purchase of the property, were subsequently asked to accept a conveyance of the portion intended to be secured as an addition to the glebe; and this portion, stated to comprise 2a. 0r. 5p., or thereabouts, was conveyed to them by deed, dated 1st June, 1860, and is now vested in the incumbent for the time being. In the year 1863 the Commissioners were asked to accept a conveyance of the portion of land to be used for the enlargement of the churchyard, and this piece, stated to comprise 30 perches or thereabouts, was conveyed to them by deed dated 28th April, 1864. The Commissioners have no information as to any arrangements which have been or are intended to be made for adding to the churchyard a further portion of the land in question, but it would be competent to the incumbent of Grindleton either to sell or to give a portion of his glebe for that purpose.