In a message dated 21/09/2007 10:04:51 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I was once taken very much to task by a local academic historian for referring to Hexhamshire as a "Peculiar". ____________________________________________________________________________ Hi Geoff, I don't understand his objection to you referring to Hexamshire as a Peculiar. The Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the parishes of Hexham, Allendale and St. John Lee was the Peculiar Court of the Archbishop of York in Hexhamshire in the diocese of Durham 1588-1849. A "Peculiar" was a church, or parish (or group of parishes) which was exempt from the jurisdiction of the bishop in whose diocese it is situated, and the Court of Peculiars exercised jurisdiction peculiar to themselves. The judicial role was exercised either by the Crown, another diocesan bishop, a prebend, Chapters of a cathedral or collegiate, individual Chapter members, the incumbent of a parish, a corporate body such as a university, or the lord of a manor. Hexhamshire was united 'quod civilia' to the county of Northumberland by the Act 14, Elizabeth, cap. 13. >From "A practical treatise of the laws relating to the clergy" 1848; "Exempt jurisdictions are so called, not because they are under no ordinary, but because they are not under the ordinary of the diocese, but have one of their own. These are therefore called peculiars, and there are several sorts." The term 'testamentary peculiar' refers to probate jurisdiction when exercised by a peculiar. Stan