Royal peculiar facts for kids

A royal peculiar is a special Church of England church or parish. It is not controlled by the usual church area, called a diocese, or the larger church region, called a province. Instead, it is directly under the authority of the King or Queen. In Cornwall, some are under the direct authority of the Duke of Cornwall.

What is a Royal Peculiar?

The system of church parishes began a very long time ago, in Saxon times. Back then, many early churches were built by the local lord on their land. A "peculiar" church was one that was free from the usual control of the local bishop.

There were different reasons for these special churches. Often, they were controlled by an important church leader from another area. They could also be under the direct authority of the King or Queen, another archbishop or bishop, or a group of cathedral leaders called the dean and chapter. Even groups like the Knights Templar had their own special churches.

An archbishop's peculiar is directly controlled by an archbishop. A royal peculiar is directly controlled by the King or Queen.

Most peculiars continued after the English Reformation (a big change in the church). However, most of them were ended in the 1800s by new laws. They then came under the control of the local diocese. Only a few non-royal peculiars still exist today. Most of the royal peculiars that remain are in the Diocese of London.

Royal Peculiars Today

London

Westminster Abbey

• The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, usually called Westminster Abbey, is a very famous church. It includes the Henry VII Chapel, which is the chapel for the Order of the Bath.
• The chapels connected to the Chapel Royal are also royal peculiars. The Chapel Royal is not just one building. It is a group of priests and singers in the Royal household who serve the spiritual needs of the King or Queen. Since the 1700s, the Bishop of London usually leads these chapels as their "dean," not as their bishop. This is true even though they are located in the Diocese of London.
  • The Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.
  • The Queen's Chapel at St James's Palace.
  • The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court.
  • The Chapel of St John the Evangelist inside the Tower of London.
  • The Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula also inside the Tower of London.
  • The King's Chapel of the Savoy became a Chapel Royal in 2016. It is a private chapel for the King or Queen, linked to the Duchy of Lancaster. It is the chapel for the Royal Victorian Order. Because the Order has grown so much, their main service is now held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, every four years.
• The Chapel of St Mary Undercroft is a chapel located under the former St Stephen's Chapel in the Palace of Westminster. This building is managed by the Lord Great Chamberlain and Black Rod. It does not have its own dedicated priests. Traditionally, services were led by the priest of St Margaret's, Westminster. In 2010, the Speaker of the House of Commons chose Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin to be the chaplain.
• The Royal Foundation of St Katharine was started in 1147 by Queen Matilda of England. It was a religious community and a hospital for poor and sick people near the Tower of London.
• Temple Church was built by the Knights Templar in the City of London.

Edinburgh

• Chapel Royal at Holyrood Palace.

Cambridge

• The Church of St Edward, King and Martyr.

Windsor

• St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, which is the chapel for the Order of the Garter.
• Royal Chapel of All Saints (located in the grounds of the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park).

Past Royal Peculiars

Here are some churches that used to be royal peculiars:

• St Michael's Collegiate Church, Penkridge near Wolverhampton.
• St Michael and All Angels' Church, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton (from 1247 to 1548).
• Canons of Dover Priory, until 1130.
• Holy Trinity, Minories, London, until 1730.
• St Mary and St Alkelda, Middleham, North Yorkshire, until 1856.
• Wimborne Minster, Dorset, from 1318 to 1846.
• St Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton, from 1479 to 1846.
• The Deanery of St Buryan, Cornwall, which included St Buryan's Church in St Buryan, St Sennen's Church, Sennen, and St Levan's Church, St Levan. This was a peculiar under the Duchy of Cornwall until 1850, with the dean chosen by the duke.
• The Deanery of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, until 1856.
• Dorchester Abbey in Dorchester on Thames, Oxfordshire, from 1536 to 1837.
• The Collegiate Church and Royal Free Chapel of St Mary the Virgin, St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury, until 1856.
• St Mary's Church, Stafford.

Other Peculiars (Not Royal)

These are some other churches that are "peculiars" but are not directly under the King or Queen:

• St Mary-le-Bow, City of London (until 1850).
• The Parish of Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales.
• The Parish of Southwick, Hampshire (St James, Southwick and St Nicholas, Boarhunt).
• Charterhouse chapel, Islington, London.
• The Peculiar (or Peculier) of Masham, North Yorkshire.
• Church of St Mary the Virgin, Hornby, North Yorkshire.
• Christ Church, Oxford.
• All college chapels of the University of Oxford.
• Christ Church, Bath, Somerset.
• Chapel of St Lawrence, Warminster, Wiltshire; bought by the townspeople in 1574 and managed by special trustees called feoffees.

The following chapels are part of the Inns of Court (places where lawyers train). They are also peculiars, meaning they are outside the usual church area, but they are not royal:

• Lincoln's Inn Chapel.
• Gray's Inn Chapel.

See also

In Spanish: Royal Peculiar para niños

• Exemption (Catholic canon law)
• Extra-parochial area
• Chapel Royal
• Proprietary chapel

Related Ideas in Government

• Demesne
• Imperial immediacy
• Independent city