Bratton Clovelly, Deanery of Okehampton

Chanter 225A, 344-345

1. Population and dissenters: The Number of Families in this Parish may be about Seventy. There is no Meeting House, nor Dissenter of any Denomination as far as I know, or can Learn.

2. Public or charity schools: Here is no publick Charity School Endowed. But a Woman of the Church Town teaches a few Children to Read, some of which are taught on private Charity. They are made to learn the Church Catechism and attend the Church Prayers on Holidays with the Mistress.

3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: Here is no Almshouse, Hospital, nor other Charitable Endowment; nor any Lands or Tenements left for the Repair of the Church, or other Pious use. But the last Incumbent the Revd Mr Shad: Vincent gave by Will £100 to be laid out in an annuity of five pounds for ever, to be employed to such Charitable uses for the benefit of this Parish as are specified in ye said Will, (which Will, I suppose, was proved in the Court at Exeter). But we have as yet had no Benefit of ye said Legacy: and, if called upon, shall gladly lay ye whole case before your Lordship, for your advice & Direction.

4. Residence upon cure: Having a Dispensation to hold the Rectory of St Mabyn in Cornwal together with this Rectory, I Reside chiefly at St Mabyn. Nevertheless I perform the Two Months – Residence required, (and usually more) Every year, upon this Cure, and always in the Parsonage House.

5. Curate: I have a Curate very lately Licensed by your Lordship, His name, Richard Pearce; who has promised to come hither, & Reside, before I go back to St Mabyn. He hopes your Lordship will not oblige him to live in the Parsonage House (which is three quarters of a Mile distant from ye Church, & where he can have no Conveniency of Boarding) but permit him to live somewhere in, or near the Church Town. His allowance is mentioned in ye Title, viz £30 per annum & ye Surplice Fees.

6. Divine service at other churches: No. Unless by accident, when the Death or Occasional Absence of any Neighbouring Minister makes it a Charitable or Friendly Office so to Do.

7. Frequency of divine service: Divine Service is performed Here Twice every Lord’s Day, with a Sermon in the Morning as also Afternoons during the Summer-half year. And Publick Prayers in the Church on Holidays.

8. Frequency of communion: Thrice at Easter, once at Whitsuntide, Once about Michaelmas, and twice at Christmas.

9. Number of communicants: The Number of Communicants that Received at Easter last (as I am credibly informed; for my Curate Mr Jones, who is gone from me, then administred) was between Forty & Fifty. At other times, they may be about Half as many.

10. Catechising of children: The Children have been used to be Catechised in the Church every Sunday in the afternoon during the Lent. I can’t say the Parishioners are very careful to send their Children & Servants thither.

11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: We have no Chapel in the Parish. Nor Ruins of a Chapel, that I know of, except a bit of an Old Wall in a Village on the Northside of the Parish: Which has been so long a Ruine, that it is become a doubtful point whether it ever was a Chapel, or not.

    Bratton Clovelly R. Charles Peters A.M. Collated Febry 1. 1723. Presb. March 20. 1714. Ofsp. Exon. [Explanation]