Sub-sub-fonds MC. - Campaign against the union of the dioceses of Bangor and St Asaph

Papers relating to the campaign to oppose the union of the dioceses of Bangor and St. Asaph to partly fund a new diocese of Manchester. Almost all the papers comprise letters, mainly to the Earl of Powis who led the campaign against the proposed union, and to his son Viscount Clive MP. The papers reflect a wisdespread petitioning campaign in both England and Wales against the union, and the parliamentary tactics adopted by the Earl of Powis in the House of Lords. The correspondents include Prime Minister Robert Peel, Sir James Graham, Home Secretary, Duke of Welllington, William Carey Archbisop of Canterbury, a number of bishops including Christopher Bethell (Bangor), Henry Phillpots (Exeter), Edward Denison (Salisbury), Charles James Blomfield (London), William Carey (St. Asaph) Hugh Percy (Carlisle) as well Charles Scott Luxmoore, Dean of St. Asaph, and a host of Conservative peers. The correspondence also reveals a growing disenchantment with the premiership of Robert Peel, in matters both ecclesiastical and secular. All the papers are dated mainly between 1843 and 1848. Volume MC1/4 also contains papers relating the foundation of the Powis Exhibition in recognition of the Earl of Powis's labours in opposing the proposed union of the two dioceses. The Exhibition was a scholarship at either Oxford or Cambridge 'for the maintenance of students, natives of Wales or of one of the four dioceses of Bangor, St Asaph, St Davids, or Llandaff, thoroughly acquainted with the Welsh language and intending to become candidates for holy orders'.