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and on the north east corner of the garden wall belonging to
Sir Thomas Robinson's House at Whitehall Stairs.
Also reported a further obliteration of the marks by inhabitants of
St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
Churchwardens authorised to restore the marks obliterated by St.
Martin's people.
Nov. 3, 1752. A Committee report their proceedings, defining the
boundaries according to their opinion, and that St. Martin's
had disagreed, the Committees, having broken up "without
coming to any agreement or appointing other meeting."
Resolved—That the Vestry will by no means consent to treat
with Saint Martin's about the Boundaries in dispute, upon
any other terms than those that have been proposed by their
Committee.
Septr. 13, 1753. The Churchwardens submit an Instrument
executed between this Parish and St. Martin's relating to the
Boundaries. Ordered that a Fair copy be framed and hung up
in the Vestry.
Notwithstanding the tendency in the present day to make
light of these periodical surveys, their careful observance
in times past has resulted in an annual income of upwards
of £1,000 a year in rates which would otherwise have been
lost. The important case of Burrell versus Nicholson,
decided in the Court of King's Bench in 1833, may be said
to have turned in favour of the parish mainly on the
evidence of ancient inhabitants, who were able to testify to
their personal recollections of having " beaten the bounds"
at particular spots, whereby the houses in question were
shewn to have been for many years within the parochial
limits.
Duties of the
Vestry in
relation to
Church
Matters.
For the entire period (300 years) over which
this chapter extends, one of the principal duties
assumed by the Vestry was that of regulating
the affairs of the church, a duty which Mas performed
with such strictness and precision that neither Minister nor
Churchwardens were free agents. The annual choice of
the two Churchwardens was in the hands of the Vestry
absolutely. These officers were, however, merely executive
agents, having no independent discretion with regard to
the protection of the sacred edifice, the superintendence of
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