Peculiar, a particular parish or church that has jurisdiction within itself, and exemption from that of the ordinary. There are several sorts:-(1) Royal peculiars which are the sovereign's free chapels, and are exempt from any jurisdiction but that of the sovereign. (2) Peculiars of the archbishops, exclusive of the bishops and archdeacons, which arose from a privilege they had to enjoy jurisdiction in such places where their seats and possessions were. (3) Peculiars of bishops, exclusive of the jurisdiction of the bishops of the diocese in which they are situate. (4) Peculiars of bishops in their own dioceses, exclusive of archdiaconal jurisdiction. (5) Peculiars of deans, deans and chapters, prebendaries, and the like, which are places wherein, by ancient compositions, the bishops have parted with their jurisdiction as ordinaries to these corporations. See Parham v. Templer, (1820) 3 Phill Ec Rep P. 245; Tomlins' Law Dict.
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