Benefices Act 1898

13 Meaning of benefice

(1) In this Act the expression " benefice " comprehends all rectories with cure of souls, vicarages, perpetual curacies, endowed public chapels, and parochial chapelries, and chapelries or districts belonging or reputed to belong, or annexed or reputed to be annexed, to any church or chapel, and districts formed for ecclesiastical purposes by virtue of statutory authority, and includes benefices in the patronage of the Crown or of the Duchy of Cornwall, but does not extend to any of Her Majesty's Royal Chapels, or to any Royal peculiar, nor to any cathedral or capitular preferment or dignity, nor to any chapel belonging to any college, school, hospital, inns of court, asylum, or public or charitable institution, nor to any private chapel.

(2) In section two of this Act the expression " duty " shall mean ecclesiastical duties as defined by section two of the Pluralities Acts Amendment Act, 1885, omitting the following words therein " and " the performance of which shall have been required of him in writing by the bishop."

(3) In section nine of this Act and in the Pluralities Act, 1838, and the [48 & 49 Vict. c. 84.] Pluralities Acts Amendment Act, 1885, the expression " ecclesiastical duties " shall, in all respects, include those duties mentioned in section two of the Pluralities Acts Amendment Act, 1885, and also the observance of all the promises as to conduct which every clergyman of the Church of England solemnly makes at the time of his ordination; and the expression " negligence" in the performance of ecclesiastical duties shall include wilful default in the performance of such duties.