CHURCHWARDEN, in England, the guardian or keeper of a church, and representative of the body of the parish. The office dates from the 14th century, when the responsibility of providing for the repairs of the nave, and of furnishing the utensils for divine service, was imposed on the parishioners. Resident lay householders of a parish are those primarily eligible as church wardens, but non-resident householders who are habitually occu piers are also eligible, while there are a few classes of persons who are either ineligible or exempted. The appointment of church wardens is regulated by the 89th canon, which requires that the churchwardens shall be chosen by the joint consent of the min isters and parishioners, if it may be; but if they cannot agree upon such a choice, then the minister is to choose one, and the parish ioners another. If, however, there is any special custom of the place, the custom prevails, and the most common custom is for the minister to appoint one, and the parishioners another, and this has been established by English statute, in the case of new parishes, by the Church Building and New Parishes Acts 1818-84. There are other special customs recognized in various localities, e.g., in some of the larger parishes in the north of England a church warden is chosen for each township of the parish ; in the old ecclesiastical parishes of London both churchwardens are chosen by the parishioners; in some cases they are appointed by the se lect vestry, or by the lord of the manor, and in a few exceptional cases are chosen by the outgoing churchwardens. Each church warden after election subscribes before the ordinary a declaration that he will execute his office faithfully.
The duties of churchwardens comprise the provision of neces saries for divine service ; the keeping of order during the divine service and the giving of offenders into custody; the assignment of seats to parishioners ; and the presentment of offences against ecclesiastical law: but by the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure, 1921, No. i made under the Church of England As sembly (Powers) Act, 1919, c. 76, all powers, duties and liabilities of the churchwardens relating to (a) the financial affairs of the church; (b) the maintenance and insurance of the fabric, goods and ornaments; (c) the maintenance of the churchyard (even when closed) were transferred to the new parochial church coun cils. The property in the movable goods and ornaments remains in the churchwardens.
In the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States church wardens discharge much the same duties as those performed by the English officials ; their duties, however, are regulated by canons of the diocese, not by canons general. In the United States, too, the usual practice is for the parishes to elect both the church wardens.
See J. H. Blunt, Book of Church Law (7th ed., 1894) ; C. G. Prideaux, Churchwarden's Guide (16th ed., 1895) ; J. Steer, Parish Law (6th ed.,