1744 Visitation: Bishop Clagett's Queries

To the Minister
of the Parish of
in the Deanery of

Good Brother,

In order to obtain a proper knowledge of the present State of my Diocese, which, I am sensible, I cannot have without the Assistance of my Reverend Brethren, I have sent you the following Queries, with vacant Spaces left for you to insert your Answers thereto. You will oblige me in sending as full and particular Answers as you can. I desire that this Paper, with the Answers inserted, may be return'd, sign'd by yourself, at my approaching Primary Visitation, and may be deliver'd either to the Register, or to my Secretary. And because it is possible that some Man's Answer in this Matter may be construed an Accusation of himself, I promise that no such Answer shall be used as Evidence against any Person subscribing.

I heartily recommend both yourself, and your Labours in the Church of GOD, to the Divine Father and Blessing, and am,

Reverend Sir,

Your very affectionate Brother

N. EXON.

Queen's-Square, near the Park, Westminster, May 15. 1744.

  1. What Number of Families have you in your Parish? Of these how many are Dissenters? And of what Sort or Denomination are they? Is there any licenced or other Meeting-House of Dissenters in your Parish? Who teaches in such Meeting-House?

  2. Is there any Publick or Charity School, endowed or otherwise maintain’d, in your Parish? What Number of Children are taught in it? And what Care is taken to instruct them in the Principles of the Christian Religion, according to the Doctrine of the Church of England, and to bring them duly to Church, as the Canon requires?

  3. Is there in your Parish any Alms-house, Hospital, or other charitable Endowment? Have any Lands or Tenements been left for the Repair of your Church, or other pious Use? Who has the Direction of such Benefactions? Do you know or have you heard of any Abuses or Frauds committed in the Management of them?

  4. Do you reside personally upon your Cure, and in your Parsonage House? If not, where do you reside? And what is the Reason of your Non-Residence?

  5. Have you a residing Curate? What is his Name? Is he duly qualified according to the Canons in that Behalf? Does he live in your Parsonage House? What Allowance do you make him?

  6. Do you perform Divine Service at any Church besides your own?

  7. On what Days is Divine Service perform’d in your Church? If not twice every Lord’s-Day, with a Sermon in the Morning, for what Reason?

  8. How often in the Year is the Holy Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper administred in your Church?

  9. How many Communicants are there in your Parish? How many of them usually receive? In particular, How many were there, or whereabouts might be the Number of them who Communicated at Easter last past?

  10. At what particular Times, and how often, are the Children catechiz’d in your Church? Do your Parishioners send their Children and Servants who have not learn’d their Catechism to be instructed by you.

  11. Have you any Chapels within your Parish? What are the Names of them, how far are they distant from the Parish Church, and by whom are they serv’d? Have you any Chapel in Ruins, in which no Divine Service is perform’d?

    It would be, at this Time, a further Satisfaction to me, if you would write down for me upon this Paper, the Dates of your Institution (or Collation) and Priest's Orders, after the Manner of the Specimen hereunto added.

    Specimen
    'Chagford R.--- JOSHUA HAYTER, A.B.
    'inst. Sept. 29. 1742. Presb. Sept. 19. 1742.
    'Tho. Oxon.'