South Brent, Deanery of Totton
Chanter 225B, 507-508
- Population and dissenters: I have one Hundred Seventy eight families in my Parish of South Brent, among whom there is no dissenter from the Church of England but there were some years past <a few> of ye Sect of the Anabaptists, the Ring leader of whom, had at yt time (as I have been Informed) set apart a Room in his house for their worship, but He is now gone from us, the Rest are come over to the Church of England, & the Room at present is used in Common.
- Public or charity schools: There has been an Hundred pound Left by a former Vicar of yt Parish to the minister & Churchwardens to be laid out by ym in Land, ye produce of which was to be applied by ym for ye Instruction of poor Children in learning to Read & ye Church Catechism, which is regularly so applied & paid to a poor woman for yt purpose, who (as I have been informed) was appointed by ye Donor or his Executor, ye money is since bestowed in Land & produces near four pounds yearly, which is duely paid to ye School mistress for ye purpose aforesaid.
- Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: There is no Alms house or Hospital, within our Parish but there are several houses & little Tenements of Land under the direction of Trustees, given to ym in Trust for many years back, and (as I am Informed by those yt have perused ye Antient Deeds) for ye Ornamenting the Church, for Repairing ye Armory & Arms, or for such other Charitable & good ends, as shall offer, & The Trustees & Principal Inhabitants shall think fit, The Produce of which Tenements are now every year applied at Xtmas for the relief of ye Poor, who have no monthly pay.
- Residence upon cure: I do Reside upon my Cure, & in my vicarage House.
- Curate: I have no Curate, being Resident myself.
- Divine service at other churches: I do not perform divine Service in any Church but my own, unless occasionally in assisting a nighbour.
- Frequency of divine service: Divine Service is performed in my Church twice Every Lords day with a Sermon & on days set a part by the Church & by proclamation from his Majesty.
- Frequency of communion: The Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper is administred in my Church four times in the year on Easter day Whitsunday, the Sunday before or after Mich[ael]mas and on Xtmas day.
- Number of communicants: I have betwixt three & four Hundred Communicants in my Parish of which about a Hundred doe Usually Receive & as will as I can recollect there were more yn an Hundred Received last Easter.
- Catechising of children: The Children begin to be Catechised soon after Easter, & Continue for eight or nine weeks <Sundays> which is as long as any Parents or Masters can be prevailed on to send their Children & Apprentices to be Catechised, or at least as long as any will come.
- Chapels or chapels in ruins: We have no Chapel within our Parish wherein Divine Service is performed. There are ye Ruins of an old Chapel at a village Called Habournford two miles distant from ye Parish Church, but there is no Remembrance or even Tradition of its having had Divine Service performed in it only there is mention made of it in an old Terrier, which I have met with among ye Records of ye Court at Exeter.