Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire. Vol. II. By Charles
Cox. (Chesterfield : Palmer and Edmunds. London : Bemrose.)—Mr. Cox continues, with a zeal that is beyond all praise, his labour of describing the Derbyshire churches, dealing in the volume before us with the Hundreds of the High Peak and Wirksworth. Bakewell, Ashbourne, and Wirksworth are perhaps the most important churches spoken of, but there are many of the sixty (for that is about the number included) which are curious and interesting. Indeed, Mr. Cox seldom fails to find out something worthy of note, however insignificant the original may have been, and however active the hand of the destroyer. Among the curiosities which he has collected is the curious privilege possessed by the minister of Peak Forest Chapel of issuing licenses of marriage to all who live within the jurisdiction. The chapel in old time, before the marriage laws were made strict, rivalled in its scandals the chapel of the Fleet Prison. Now, of course, the privilege simply amounts to the fact that the incumbent is ex officio a surrogate. We join with Mr. Cox in hoping that it will not be allowed to lapse. Another thing we have noted is the extremely moderate fee—three shillings—paid to an architect for a plan of a new steeple. We notice, but rather for the sake of showing that we have studied the book with some carefulness, that on page 527 " Charborough" is written for " Clareborough."
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