Anglican Laity in Revolt

http://www.reform.org.uk/pages/press/press.php?menu_user=1

[Reform] 30 Jan 2008--Anglican lay people are preparing for an unholy scrap with their Bishop over Church of England proposals to transfer the ownership of vicarages from incumbents (vicars) to central church funds.

Historically, the vast majority of vicarages/parsonages were paid for by donations from parishioners/patrons to house a priest to look after the spiritual needs of people in a parish. The legal ownership of the parsonage remained with the vicar, thereby giving him/her, and the parish, some security from interference from Bishops. Vicars own property as ‘sole corporate’ and are said to enjoy the ‘freehold’.