Milton Abbott, Deanery of Tavistock

Chanter 225B, 469-470

  1. Population and dissenters: We have in our Parish, as near as I can compute about one Hundred and Fifty Familys;
    There is but one Dissenter, a man; of the Presbyterian Persuasion, I suppose, as he goes constantly to the meeting at Tavistoc. His Wife & Family attend the Service of the Church.1

  2. Public or charity schools: We have an anuity of Five Pounds a year, settled for Forty years from Michaelmas 1741 by one Thomas Parsons, yeoman; for putting Poor Children to School, payable out of all his effects by his Executor; the vicr & Mr R. Edgcombe of Edgcombe Trustees With which a Dosen, or more Children are yearly taught to Read, & some of them to write & cast account; Other of the Poor Children are put to School out of ye Offertory-money: They are all Taught, as capable Lewis's Exposition of the Catechism, & obliged constantly to attend the Service of the Church, as well on week-days, as Sundays.

  3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: We have an House, call'd the Church-house, adjoining to the Church-yard, in which is a large School-room, properly furnisht; supposed to have been first Erected at the Charge of the Parishioners as long since as the beginning of Queen Elizabeth; & repair'd by the Church-wardens, as appears by their Books of Account Some years after the Revolution; & not before, the Churchwardens have thought fit to charge it with a yearly Rent of Four Pounds upon the Overseers of the Poor: Who fill it up, except the room before mention'd, with such of the Poor as become Chargeable: And this Rent is constantly charged in the Overseers Account, whether there be any Poor in it or not. We have also a Barn (it was I am told, originally a Dwelling-house) & Orchard, in Fee-Simple within the Borough of Tavistoc; Given, as I have been informed, not having been ever admitted to a sight of ye Deed for the Repair of our Church: It is said to be vested in twelve Feoffees, Principal Inhabitants of the Parish their Heirs &c. It is now Set out in lease for lives, and Twenty Shillings a year, Conventionary Rent, paid to the Churchwardens {yearly}, & so apply'd.

  4. Residence upon cure: I do reside in my Vicarage house.

  5. Curate: I supply my Cure in my own Person.

  6. Divine service at other churches: I do not; unless Occasionally, to Supply for a Sick or absent Brother.

  7. Frequency of divine service: We have Divine Service always twice on Sundays, with a Sermon in the Forenoon; and on all Holidays, Wednesdays, & Fridays, Prayers; thro'out the year.

  8. Frequency of communion: The Sacrament is administred with us Ten times in the year, viz at the three Great Festivals two Sundays following; at Michaelmas once; and once in the middle of each Quarter from Midsummer to Lady-day.

  9. Number of communicants: Our Communicants are about Seven or Eight Score. Such a number we might have at the two Sacraments last Easter.

  10. Catechising of children: Our Catechising begins every first Sunday in Lent; and is continued on in the Summer every Sunday in the afternoon, till an Exposition of the Whole Catechism be gone thro: It were to be wish'd the Parishioners were sufficiently careful to oblige their Children and younger Servants to attend; of which they want not being frequently reminded both in Public & Private.

  11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: We have no Chapel that has Divine Service perform'd in it: There is one, turn'd into a Barn, near the mansion-house of Leigh; a Barton or Large Farm, formerly belonging to the Abby of Tavistoc, but now, with the greater part of the Parish, in the House of Bedford.

    Milton: Abbot Vic. Willielmus Salmon, A.B. Inst. Jul. 23. 1714. Presb. Sept. 25. 1709. W. Wigorn [Explanation]

    1. Text from 'There is but one Dissenter' in a different hand to first part of entry. Remainder of return in the same (i.e. the second) hand. [Back]