Withecombe Rawleigh, Deanery of Ailesbeare

Chanter 225A, 260-261

  1. Population and dissenters: About fourscore Families in the Parish, five of which are Dissenters of the Presbyterian Kind. No Meeting-House.

  2. Public or charity schools: None.

  3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: Here is an Alms-House consisting of three Dwellings for Poor People, for the Repair of which there is an annuity of twenty Shilling per Annum; An annuity likewise of fifty Shillings per Annum to bind out poor Children to Trades; & forty shillings per Anum to the Poor; for the Discharge of which & other Donations to some neighbouring Parishes, there were Lands of (I have heard) near fourscore Pounds per annum vested in Trustees by one Mr. Drake.

  4. Residence upon cure: I am resident in my Vicarage House at East-Budleigh. I never heard of any House here for the Minister; there being no Occasion for one as this is a Chapelry annexed to the Vicarage of East-Budleigh. I either officiate myself, or have a Clergyman to assist me both Parts of the Day.

  5. Curate: No settled curate as yet: I defer recommending to your Lordship, till you are acquainted with the Circumstances of the Living, & I know your Lordship’s Pleasure in the affair.

  6. Divine service at other churches: Only in my Church of East-Budleigh, or occasionally to assist my Neighbour.

  7. Frequency of divine service: Divine service is performed on Sundays, & Holy-Days.

  8. Frequency of communion: Four Times in the year (viz:) at Christmas, Easter, Whitsunday, & Michaelmas.

  9. Number of communicants: About threescore Persons usually communicate; near that Number at Easter last.

  10. Catechising of children: Catechising usually begins soon after Whitsunday, & continues as long as any are sent for that Purpose.

  11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: Here is a Chappel in which Divine Service is performed one Mile & Half from the Church. One other Chapel, which They called Margaret’s Chapel, is converted into a Dwelling-House & at present occupied by one George Wood a Taylor.

    East-Budleigh with Wythicombe-Rawleigh annexed V... Matthew Mundy A.M.
    inst: Sept: 21. 1741. Presb: Sept: 20. 1741.
    Stephen Exon: [Explanation]