Bridford, Deanery of Dunsford

Chanter 225A, 190-191

  1. Population and dissenters: The Number of Families within ye Parish of Bridford is seventy nine <exclusive of eight single & one married person who dwell in ye Church House>. They all profess themselves members of ye Church of England. There is not any licenced or other Meeting House within this Parish.

  2. Public or charity schools: There is not any Publick or Charity School within this Parish. The Children are mostly instructed by their Parents.

  3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: We have not within this Parish any Alms-House, Hospital, or other Charitable Endowment, neither have any Lands or Tenements been left for ye Repair of our Church or other pious use.

  4. Residence upon cure: I reside personally upon my Cure, & in my Parsonage House.

  5. Curate: I refer to my Answer to ye last Querie.

  6. Divine service at other churches: I do not perform Divine Service at any other Church besides that unto which I am instituted.

  7. Frequency of divine service: Divine Service is performed in my Church only on Sundays, ye 30th of January, ye 29th of May ye 5th of November, & on some of ye greatest Holydays & when enjoyn’d by Authority; I wou’d willingly discharge my Duty on every Feast & Fast appointed to be observed in ye Church of England, cou’d I have a Congregation, which I have endeavoured more than once, but without success.

  8. Frequency of communion: The Holy Sacrament of ye Lord’s Supper is administred within my Parish Church seven Times in ye year.

  9. Number of communicants: The Number of Persons of sixteen years of Age & upwards within this Parish is two hundred & twenty seven; of these thirty five usually receive ye sacrament of ye Lord’s Supper; about fourscore communicated at Easter last past.

  10. Catechising of children: The Children in this Parish are always catechiz’d once in ye year. I generally begin on Trinity Sunday, & continue on ye following Sundays to examine every one who offers himself. Upon notice of ye approaching Confirmation ye greatest Part of ye Parishioners have sent their {Parishioners} Children & servants to me in order to be instructed.

  11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: There is one Chapel (or what is commonly called a Chapel) with in this Parish. I do not know or ever heard its name, neither do I know whether it was ever consecrated, it belongs to an Estate called Laployd, distant from ye Parish Church about one Mile. Divine Service, I am informed, never was publickly performed in it. It is at present in decent Repair, tho’ ye present occupier of ye Estate to which it belongs sometime since used it as a storehouse for his Corn.

    Bridford R – William Hall, Batchelor of Law, inst: Sept: 21st 1741. Presb: Sept: 20th 1741. Stephen Exon. [Explanation]

    William Hall Rector.