church house (cherchhous)

1. In England, in medieval times, and as revived in the present century, a parish building used for various purposes of busine or entertainment. No one until recently have been that the church house was a building which, if not always, was at least commonly attached to the parish church. Its uses were varied; indeed, it would seem to have been the public room of the parish, which could, with the consent of the churchwardens, be used for any purpose that the needs of the parish rendered nece ary. One function it discharged, and that pretty frequently, was that of a hall in which the church-ales could be held. N. and Q., 7th ser., IV. 119. 21. A building in which to rest, keep warm, eat lunch, etc., between the services of the church on Sunday; a Sabbath-day house. [U. S.] man. There might in the lower orders be much envy and jealousy of those who rose from their ranks to the height of churchman like dignity. Milman , Latin Christianity, xii. 1. churchmanly (chèrch'man-li), a. [ IMG:content-0396.png:[blocks in formation]