Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Minor or Petty Canons were established as a distinct body within St Paul's Cathedral at an early date. They celebrated mass at the high altar and attended all services day and night. The Succentor was additionally responsible for examining the standard of singing of the choristers. The Sub Dean of the Cathedral was traditionally appointed from the Minor Canons. In 1366 Robert de Kyngeston, Minor Canon, left a site for the building of a hall where the brethren could live communally within the Cathedral close. By the terms of their royal charter, 1394, they became a corporate body, 12 in number, only having to eat together in the Common Hall and being allowed to live separately near the Cathedral. The charter established the Warden as the senior administrator of the College, to be elected annually on St Barnabas Day by his fellow-members.
The Minor Canons were financially independent of the canons they represented. Originally their income consisted of a weekly prebend, food allowances and a share of payments from obits. Gradually each of the twelve stalls acquired its own benefice for the maintenance of the stall-holder who would also frequently hold a further living in London or elsewhere. Additional revenues, such as the tithes of the parish of St Gregory by St Paul and, later, fees for showing the cupola to visitors, were collected as income in common. After the Great Fire, 1665, the Common Hall was let and houses on the south side of St Paul's Churchyard, known as College Houses, were built for occupation by the Minor Canons.
The organisation of the Minor Canons survived the Reformation unchanged, apart from a considerable loss of income from obits, but the St Paul's Cathedral, London, Minor Canonries Act of 1875 brought about major financial restructuring. All benefices were taken into the control of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, fixed annual payments in lieu being made to the College, and the number of Minor Canons was reduced to 6. In addition, the Dean and Chapter were to provide houses for the Minor Canons; these were built in Amen Court in the 1880s.