A013 - The Vicars of Hooe

The following is a list, compiled from various sources, of the Incumbents of Hooe, from 1364 to 1483, and of the Vicars and Curates, from 1551 to 1889.

The year given is the year in which the Incumbent′s name is actually known from records, but, where the same name appears twice, two or several years apart, it has not been assumed that that Incumbent was there in the intervening years.

For example, in 1606, according to the records, John Gilmore was the Vicar of Hooe and his name appears, again, as the incumbent, in 1610. What is not known is the name of the vicar in 1607, 1608, and 1609; while it might, well, be John Gilmore it might not.

In the tables below, I have referred to the Incumbent, prior to 1551, as just that, the Incumbent but after that date I have used the titles Vicar, Perpetual Vicar, Rector, and Curate.

For clarification, a Rector is a clergyman who has the right to receive tithes, while a Vicar does not. A Curate is a clergyman authorized to conduct religious worship but generally assists the Incumbent (Vicar or Rector) and, where necessary, represents him by carrying out divine service in his absence. And what is a Perpetual Vicar? I have never had a good answer to this question and the Internet has failed in this instance!

Oh, and what exactly is a "Preacher" doing here? I have no idea but that is what John Jessop was, apparently, or at least according to the records!

The major sources for the information were:–

1) My grandfather′s book, "An Illustrated Historical and Descriptive Account of Hooe Church, Sussex", from where I also got the idea for the list!

2) The website of "The Clergy of the Church of England Database" at :- http://www.theclergydatabase.org.uk/index.html

3) The book entitled, "History of Hastings Castle" by Charles Dawson, published by Constable & Co Ltd, 10, Orange Street, Leicester Square, London, W. C., in 1909.

Incumbents of Hooe – Prior to the Dissolution of the Monasteries

Vicars of Hooe – Church of England

Next, I have to find who the vicars were from 1889 onwards – if anyone has any more information on any of the above or later vicars, I shall be very pleased to hear from them.