on 27 july 1876, the silver jubilee of his episcopate was celebrated in the shrewsbury cathedral, memorial gifts to the value of £1,600 being presented to him on the occasion. his health breaking down three years afterwards he obtained the assistance of an auxiliary, edmund knight, who was consecrated on 25 july 1879. brown then went to live at st. mary's grange, a sequestered spot near shrewsbury, then recently purchased by him as the site of his proposed seminary. his active episcopal work had thenceforth to be abandoned. but to the close of his life he sedulously watched over the general administration of his diocese. death came to him at last very gently, in his seventieth year, on 14 october 1881, at st. mary's grange. he had been present at four provincial councils (those of 1852, 1855, 1859, and 1873) held during the time of his episcopate. he presided at his own first diocesan synod in december 1853, at st. alban's, macclesfield.