A Handbook to St Mary Redcliffe Church, J. Chilcott 1848

ST. MARY REDCLIFFE CHURCH. 29
One of these chests in particular was said to be called
Mr. Canynges’ cmji'ef and secured by six keys, two of
which were entrusted to the minister and procurator of
the church, two to the mayor, and one to each of the
churchwardens. In process of time the six keys appear
to have been lost; and about the year 1727, a notion
prevailed that some title-deeds, and other writings of
value, were contained in Mr. Canynges’ cofi‘er. In con
sequence of this opinion, an order of vestry was made
that the chest should be opened under the inspection of
an attorney, and that those writings which appeared of
consequence should be removed to the south porch of
the church. The locks were therefore forced, and not
only the principal chest, but the others, which were also
supposed to contain writings, were also broken open.
The deeds relating to the church were removed, and the
other manuscripts left exposed, as of no value. Con
siderable depredations were committed upon them by
different persons; but the most insatiate of the plunderers
was the father of Chatterton. His uncle, being sexton
of St. Mary Redcliife, gave him free access to the church.
He carried off, from time to time, parcels of the parch
ment, which were deposited in a cupboard in the school,
and employed for the covering of copy-books and other
purposes. At his death his widow carried the remainder
to her own habitation. For an account of the discovery
of their value, as related by Chatterton, we refer the
' When rents were received and kept in specie, it was usual for corporate
bodies to keep the writings and rents of estates left for particular purposes,
in chests appropriated to each particular benefactor, and called by the bene
factor’s name. Several old chests of this kind are still existing in the
University of Cambridge.