Stoke=Rivers, Deanery of Sherwill

Chanter 225B, 738-739

  1. Population and dissenters: There are about fifteen Families in my Parish. No Dissenters.

  2. Public or charity schools: There is no Charity School endowed, but a School is kept & about ten Children are taught to read. Care is taken to instruct ‘em in ye Principles of ye Xstian Religion according to ye Doctrine of ye Church of England & to bring ‘em to Church.

  3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: There is no Alms House, nor Hospital. But we have ye sum of twenty five pounds given by Will. The Interest of which is annually to be distributed to Poor Labourers who have no monthly Relief from ye Parish. Here are no Lands or Tenements left for ye Repair of ye Church, or other Pious use. I know of no Fraud or abuse in ye managem’t of ye abovemention’d Donation.

  4. Residence upon cure: I do not reside personally upon my Cure, but reside at Goodleigh about two miles distant, which I hold by Dispensation.

  5. Curate: I have no residing Curate.

  6. Divine service at other churches: I do not perform Divine Service at any Church but my own.

  7. Frequency of divine service: I perform divine Service once Every Sunday & Preach & read Prayers on all Holy days.

  8. Frequency of communion: Six times in ye year.

  9. Number of communicants: There are about Thirty Communicants, about fifteen generally receive. In particular to ye Best of my Remembrance there were about twenty five communicated last Easter.

  10. Catechising of children: Every other Sunday <during ye Summer> I catechize ye Children & expound upon ye Same & ye Parishioners send your Children Apprentices & Servants to be instructed by me.

  11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: Here are no Chapels within my Parish.

    Stoke Rivers R – William Churchward AM. Inst. Sept. 7th 1742
    Presb: December 23d 1739

    William Churchward Rector.