PARISH

(Or. TapoiKia, a neighbourhood.) Properly, mistical division of a town or district subject to the ministry of one pastor. In the earliest ages of the church, the parochia was the district placed under the superintendence of the bishop, and was equivalent to the dioce . It denoted, says Bingham, not only what we now call a parish church, but a city with its adjacent towns or country regions.Itwas not until the Christians became sufficiently Numerous to present distinct congregations in the smaller towns and villages that the bishop appointed his presbyters to reside among them, and thus subdivided his dioce into several parishes. This constitution is recognised in seveial councils and other monuments of the fifth century'- It is. Indeed, probable that in many cities there existed more than one church and congregation even in the time of the untie*; but it does not appear whether these deserved the n.uiio of parishes, as being each under the distinct superintendence of its respective pnstor. But although parishes were originally ecclesiastical divisions, they may now be more property considered as coming under the cla of civil divisions; and consequently claim our attention under this he id. It is not easy to determine the era of the of England into parishes; they are mentioned in the laws of King Edgar so early as 970, when the whole kingdom seems to have been divided into parishes; but it is probable that the division was not made at once, but by It is, according to Black stone, pretty clear and certain that the boundaries of parishes were originally ascertained by tho^e of manors; for it very seldom happen that a manor extends itself over more parishes than one, thimsrh there are often many manors in one parish. The paroehl il division of England was nearly the same in the rei!:n of Edward I. [13(19-1307) as at present. Parishes are frequently intermixed with one another. This seems to have arisen from the lord of the manor having had a panel of land detached from the main part of his estate, but not sufficient to form a parish of itself. It was natural for him to endow the church which he had erected tie with the tithes of these disjointed peeially If it happened that there was no church in any lordship adjoining to them. The boundaries of parishes dc|iend on Immemorial custom; but it la probable that they were not settled with very minuie precision till the introduction of the poor laws, when, in consequence of the claim for relief upon their particular parishes given to the poor, it became a matter of consequence to define exactly tho limits of each parish. They cannot now be altered but by legislative enactment. In the northern counties, where the parishes sometimes embrace thirty or forty square miles, the poor laws, the due administration of which must always depend OH an intimate knowledge of the situation and character of every one applying for relief, could not be properly carried into effect. To remedy this inconvenience, an act was pa ed in the 13th of Charles II. permitting townships and villages, though not entire parishes, severally and distinctly to maintain their own poor. Hence townships in the north of England may lie regarded as divisions subordinate to parishes; and are, in practice, as distinctly limited as if they were ■epscata parishes. Towns originally contained but one parish; but, from the increase of inhabitants, many of them are now divided into several parishes. Besides parishes, or townships, there are places which are deemed extra-parochial, or not within the limits of any parish. These were formerly the site of religious houses, or of castles, the owners of which would not permit any interference with their rights.. At present they enjoy some most valuable privileges; among others, a virtual exemption from the poor's rate, because there is no overseer on wl i the order of a magistrate may be served — from the militia laws, because there is no constable to make the return— and from repairing the highways, because there is no surveyor. Their tithes are, by immemorial custom, payable to the king instead of the bishop. The number of such places is not inconsiderable, amounting to more than 200. It seems highly inexpedient that any part of the country should enjoy such an exemption from burdens imposed for the benefit of the community. Extra-parochial wastes and marsh lands, when improved and drained, are a e ed to all parochial rales in the parish next adjoining. In some counties, liberties interrupt the general course of law as affecting hundreds, in the same manner as extra-parochial p.aces do with regard to parishes. This inconvenience is parteularly felt in Dor sets hire. The number of parishes and parochial chapelries in England and Wales is not exactly ascertained; but there are not many doubtful cases, nui *or any general purpose they may safely be taken at »$700 About 550 parishes extend into two counties, or [s. 909]