Bishopric of St. Albans Act 1875
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1875 c. 34 |
| Year | 1875 |
Bishopric of Saint Albans Act, 1875
(38 & 39 Vict.) CHAPTER 34.
An Act to amend the Acts relating to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and enable them to carry into effect a certain proposal for the re-arrangement of the Dioceses of London, Winchester, and Rochester, and the erection of a new Bishopric of Saint Albans.
[29th June 1875]
W HEREAS, having regard to the great increase of population in the counties adjoining the metropolis both north and south of the Thames, and in particular in the county of Surrey, it is expedient to provide increased episcopal supervision in such counties, and with a view thereto an arrangement is proposed whereby a new bishopric, to be called the Bishopric of Saint Albans, will be formed to the north of the Thames, to consist of the counties of Hartford and Essex (which will be taken away from the diocese of Rochester), and more complete episcopal supervision will be secured to South London and the district situate to the south of the Thames, including a large part of the county of Surrey, by adding to the diocese of Rochester, in exchange for the counties to the north of the Thames so taken away as aforesaid, the several parishes in this Act hereafter specified, of which the greater portion form at the present time part of the diocese of Winchester:
And whereas the Bishop of Winchester, with a view to farther such arrangement as aforesaid, and in particular to provide more complete episcopal supervision as aforesaid in South London and the district situated to the south of the Thames, has assented to the sale of the episcopal residence in London attached to the bishopric of Winchester, and to the application of the proceeds of such sale as a basis for an endowment of the bishopric of Saint Albans, and it is intended to make such further provision for the endowment of the said bishopric as is herein-after mentioned:
Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
1 Short title of Act.
1. This Act may be cited for all purposes as theBishopric of Saint Albans Act, 1875.
Bishopric of Saint Albans.
2 London house of Bishop of Winchester to be sold, and proceeds carried to Bishopric Endowment Fund.
2. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England (in this Act referred to as ‘the Commissioners’) shall, as soon as may be after the passing of this Act, sell the episcopal residence attached to the bishopric of Winchester, and situate in the liberties of the city of Westminster, and shall carry over the proceeds of such sale, after deducting the expenses thereof, to a fund to be called the Saint Albans Bishopric Endowment Fund.
3 Public contributions to be carried to Bishopric Endowment Fund.
3. The Commissioners shall receive all contributions which may be made by the public for the purposes of the endowment of the bishopric of Saint Albans, and carry the amount of such contributions to the said Saint Albans Bishopric Endowment Fund.
4 Bishopric to be established on sufficient endowment being provided.
4. Whenever the Commissioners certify to Her Majesty under their seal that the Saint Albans Bishopric Endowment Fund amounts to a sum which (exclusive of the value of any episcopal residence which may have been provided, or any sum appropriated for the purpose of providing such episcopal residence,) produces a net income of not less than two thousand pounds a year, Her Majesty, by Order in Council, may found a new bishopric of Saint Albans, with a diocese consisting of the counties of Hartford and Essex, and of that part of the county of Kent which lies north of the River Thames, or of such parts thereof as to Her Majesty may seem meet, and may assign to such bishopric as a cathedral church the abbey church of Saint Albans, in the county of Hartford, but subject to the rights of the incumbent of such church, and may declare the time at which such Order founding such new bishopric is to come into operation.
Her Majesty, by the same or any other Order in Council, may constitute the Bishop of Saint Albans a body corporate, and may invest such bishop with all such rights, privileges, and jurisdictions as are now possessed by any other bishop in England, or such of them as to Her Majesty may seem meet, and may subject such bishop to the metropolitan jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
5 New constitution of diocese of Rochester, and alteration of dioceses of London and Winchester.
5. Her Majesty may by the Order in Council founding the bishopric of Saint Albans, or by any other Order in Council, to take effect at or after the time at which such first-mentioned Order comes into operation, transfer to the residue of the diocese of Rochester remaining after such constitution as aforesaid of the bishopric of Saint Albans out of the counties of Hartford and Essex, all such parishes situate wholly or partly in the parliamentary divisions of East Surrey and Mid Surrey as now form part of the diocese of Winchester, also all such parishes situate in the county of Surrey as now form part of the diocese of London.
Her Majesty may in any such Order in Council as is mentioned in this section make such modifications in the provisions herein contained respecting the transfer of parishes as to Her Majesty may seem meet.
6 Additional endowment of bishopric of Saint Albans.
6. Subject to the rights of the persons who are at the time of the passing of this Act Bishops of Winchester and Rochester, there shall be transferred to the Saint Albans Bishopric Endowment Fund such portion of the endowment or income of the bishopric of Winchester as will yield a net annual sum of five hundred pounds, and such portion of the endowment or income of the bishopric of Rochester as will yield a net annual sum of five hundred pounds.
7 The number of bishops sitting in Parliament not to be increased.
7. The number of Lords Spiritual sitting and voting as Lords of Parliament shall not be...
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