[MR] Wikipedia: Royal Peculiars, a Medieval Survival

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Sorry, but the term "royal peculiar" has nothing to do with the various
eccentricities of the British royal family. Rather these are national
eccentricities.

While browsing Wikipedia for British Overseas Territories, those odd
remaining colonial crumbs of the British Empire (Gibraltar, St. Helena, The
Falkland Islands, etc.), I recalled the term royal peculiar, and decided to
search for it. And yes, there it was.

A "peculiar" refers specifically to parishes, churches or other religious
foundations that are/were within a diocese, but not under control of that
diocesan bishop. This was a hold-over from the middle ages, when these
churches and their property came under the control of another bishop or
church officer, a local lord, or the sovereign, often through charters. If
you read Jane Austen novels or watch the many film versions (as most of us
prefer to do), you may hear of clergymen being "granted the living" of a
local church, often on a lord's estate. That is/was a "peculiar". Most
local peculiars of this sort were abolished in the 19th century.

Today most remaining peculiars are held by the sovereign, such as The
Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster (aka Westminster Abbey) in
London, chapels in various Royal Palaces, the Temple Church in London, St.
George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, and several others. Wikipedia also lists
13 remaining non-royal peculiars, which are independent or governed by
another diocese. Complicated, yes, but British traditions and medieval
hold-overs are both fascinating and charming.

In a way this is similar to the three Crown Dependencies, The Isle of Man,
Jersey and Guernsey. These three territories are technically ruled by the
sovereign, but are NOT legally part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain,
though for all intents and purposes they are as British as bangers and
mash. At least they get to field their own sports teams at the Commonwealth
Games.

More about peculiars is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_peculiar .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.