Church Burgesses
The Church Burgesses, formerly known officially as the Twelve Capital Burgesses and Commonalty of the Town and Parish of Sheffield, are a charitable organisation in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire. In 1297, the Burgery of Sheffield was established in the Charter to the Town of Sheffield. Thomas de Furnival, Lord of the Manor of Sheffield, granted land to the freeholders of Sheffield in return for an annual payment, and a Common Burgery administrated them. In 1554, a charter established the Twelve Capital Burgesses, a petition to Mary Tudor, probably supported by the fifth Earl of Shrewsbury, presented by the inhabitants of Sheffield. The lands confiscated by King Edward were returned to the people under the 1554 Charter. The Burgesses were charged with providing stipends for three assistant ministers at the church and with the maintenance of the church. They were also given the power to maintain and improve streets and bridges in the environs of the church. In contrast to the Burgery, which was an elective body, the Burgesses were to fill empty positions by co-option. Elsewhere in England, the existence of a church rate proved a source of conflict between members of the Church of England and