Records of the Chapter Estates

Comprises title deeds and related papers, accounts, tithe administration.

Manchester, apart from Durham, is the only Cathedral Chapter to retain the administration of its ancient endowment estate. The Cathedrals Measure 1931 required the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to make schemes for the compulsory transfer to them of the endowments of all Cathedrals in return for a monetary consideration. Manchester and Durham were professionally managed at the time and so were exempted. The Original estate comprised land in the Parsonage area of Manchester, where the clergy residences were situated, together with the township of Kirkmanshulme (Churchman's Meadow), or Newton Detached in Longsight; the whole of Newton Heath and Miles Platting, and also some smaller areas of land in Rusholme and Salford. The Kirkmanshulme land is recorded as belonging to the Church in the Domesday Book, while the Newton Heath land appears to have been added in the 12th Century. For the next five centuries, these lands remained purely agricultural, and were let on short leases to farmers and others by the Warden and Fellows of the Collegiate Church. When the Industrial Revolution broke upon England in the latter half of the 18th Century, the extraordinarily rapid development of Manchester brought the land at Newton and Kirkmanshulme within the orbit of demand for building land. Development of such rapidity after centuries of an almost stationary agricultural economy was something which could not possibly have been foreseen and for which the whole country was unprepared. The Warden and Fellows found that their powers of leasing were inadequate for the new demand, and it was not until the middle of the 19th century that adequate powers were obtained. In 1795, the first lease for 99 years was granted, and for the next 65 years, considerable development took place on building leases of that length. In 1861 powers were obtained to grant leases of 999years, and from that date onward, practically all the building leases granted have been for that term. In the 1960s, by reason of the expiry of the 99yr leases granted between 1795 and 1861, the Chapter managed Estates in Hand - in some cases 999yr leases were granted, but mostly the Chapter took the properties over and managed them because they were so old and poor that no-one was interested in buying or leasing them. In more recent years, the ground rent from properties on 999 year leases became more expensive to collect than it was worth because of the effects of inflation. The majority of the ancient endowment was therefore sold off and the profits invested in the stock market. In the turbulent market of the 1990s, the Chapter turned again to property and new properties were purchased.