24 APRIL 1909, Page 12

ADEL AND ITS NORMAN CHURCH.

Adel and its Norman Church. By William H. Draper, Rector. (R. Jackson, Leeds.)—Mr. Draper has done his duty by his parish in a way that cannot be too widely imitated. He describes the church, a fine specimen of Late Gothie,—it is supposed to date from the reign of Stephen. The porch and the chancel arch, as shown by photographs and verbally described, exhibit consider- able ornament. He tells the story of the patrons and the incumbents, the lists of both being approximately complete. As to the patronage there seems to have been some debate, the Abbey of Kirkstall and the Priory of the Holy Trinity in York claiming it ; the result was in favour of the Priory. In the list of rectors it may be noticed that the early tenures were short. In the first half of the fourteenth century there wore ton. The vacancy is commonly per resignationem. From 1470 to 1627 there were twelve, all succeeding per mortem. Mr. Draper has piously preserved all the mortuary inscriptions. Among them we notice a name which will be familiar to some readers of the Special or,— " John William Inchbold, Painter and Poet, 1830-1888."