Church Temporalities Act 1833

The act provided for the elimination of Vestry Assessment (church rates or "parish cess", which allowed vestries to tax the entire population) to alleviate the Tithe War, although disturbances persisted until the Tithe Commutation Act 1838 (1 & 2 Vict. c. 109). The Act also allowed for merger of dioceses effective from the next vacancies, replaced first fruits with an annual tax, and provided for the ensuing revenue to augment low clergy stipends and benefit the Church. Repealed enactments Section 1 of the act repealed 13 enactments, listed in that section. == Subsequent developments ==

At the time of the act, the Church of Ireland had 852,064 members, fewer than the bishopric of Durham alone; allegedly one third were not even residents of Ireland. Using the act, Parliament suppressed 10 of the 22 Irish bishoprics and merged the corresponding dioceses. Many appointees in the eliminated bishoprics had no religious duties or church, and when services were performed, they had been undertaken by a curate paid only a small portion of the clergy stipend. The Act induced debate among the Anglican Communion about the relationship between church and state, inciting the Oxford Movement. == Notes ==