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List of collegiate churches in England facts for kids

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A collegiate church is a special kind of church in England. Unlike a regular parish church that focuses on helping the local community, a collegiate church is run by a group of priests called a "college" or "chapter." These priests work together to perform daily worship services.

Think of it like a cathedral, which is also run by a group of priests and has a dean in charge. However, a collegiate church is not the main church for a bishop and doesn't have the same responsibilities for a whole diocese (a bishop's area). Their main job is to keep up with the daily prayers and services.

Most collegiate churches in the past also served as parish churches for the local people.

What is a Collegiate Church?

A collegiate church is a church where a group of priests, called "canons," work together. They perform daily worship services as a team. This group of priests is often called a "chapter." They are led by someone like a dean, warden, or provost.

These churches are similar to cathedrals because they also have a chapter of priests. But a collegiate church is not the main church of a bishop. It does not have a bishop's seat. Its main purpose is for the priests to worship together.

Regular parish churches have clergy whose main job is to care for the people in the parish. Collegiate churches are different because their main focus is on group worship. Still, many old collegiate churches also served as parish churches.

How Collegiate Churches Were Funded

When a collegiate church was started, it was given property that earned money. This money, often from rents or tithes (a part of people's income), helped support the church. It also provided an income for each priest.

There were a few ways priests got their income:

  • Portioners: All the money was put together, and each priest got a fixed share.
  • Prebendaries: Each priest had their own separate property that provided income.
  • Fellows or Chaplains: These priests received a fixed salary. They had to say prayers and masses for the church's founder and their family. This was often part of a "chantry college."

Over time, some priests who were prebendaries did not live at the church. They hired other priests, called "vicars," to do the daily worship for them. Later, many collegiate churches also hired professional choirs. These choirs included singing men and boy choristers.

A Look Back: History of Collegiate Churches

The idea of collegiate churches changed a lot around the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th and 12th centuries. Before this, many collegiate churches in England had developed from older Anglo-Saxon churches called "minsters." These often did not have formal rules.

After the Conquest, some of these old churches became prebendary collegiate churches. Others continued as portioner churches. Many stopped being collegiate churches and became regular parish churches. Some were even turned into monasteries.

New collegiate churches were often built as their own chapels. Or, they might take over an existing parish church. Most of these new churches were "chantry colleges." These were set up to say prayers for specific people. Even the early colleges at Oxford University and Cambridge University started this way. They often used local parish churches for worship before building their own chapels.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries (when King Henry VIII closed many religious houses), many collegiate churches were also closed. King Edward VI officially dissolved most of them in 1547.

However, a few colleges survived the Reformation. These included the academic colleges (like Oxford and Cambridge). Also, churches under the direct control of the monarch (called "Royal Peculiars") survived. Some others found ways to avoid being closed. These remaining churches continued until 1840.

Eleven former monasteries were even reopened by Henry VIII as collegiate churches or cathedrals. Some of these were later closed by Edward VI, but others continued. Today, almost all the churches that were once collegiate churches now serve as regular parish churches.

Collegiate Churches Today

Here are some collegiate churches that are still active today, not counting the academic ones:

Image Name & Dedication Diocese Information Established/Website
St Endellion Church-by-Ben-Nicholson.jpg St Endellion Church, Cornwall

The Collegiate Church of Saint Endelienta

 Diocese of Truro This church was founded in the 13th century. It was never officially closed, so its special positions continued until 1880. The church's chapter was re-established in 1929. before 1288

(re-established 1929)

Church Homepage
Westminster abbey west.jpg Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster		 Royal Peculiar This famous church started as a Benedictine monastery. It was made a collegiate church by Queen Elizabeth I in 1560. 1065

Abbey Homepage
St George's Chapel Garter Day.jpg St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

The Queen's Free Chapel of the College of St. George, Windsor Castle

 Royal Peculiar This chapel was founded by King Edward III in 1348. 1348

St. George's

Academic Collegiate Churches

Some colleges at universities also have collegiate churches or chapels. These are still active today:

Former Collegiate Churches

Many churches that were once collegiate churches are now regular parish churches. Here is a list of some of them:

See Also

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