Bishops Nymet, Deanery of South Molton

Chanter 225C, 1188-1189

  1. Population and dissenters: My Lord, I recoken that there are about two Hundred Families in this Parish; out of which two Families only are Dissenters, of ye Presbyterian Persuation, who resort to a Meeting House in South-Moulton, one Mr Palk Teacher; We have <no> Meeting Houses licens'd or unlicens'd in our Parish, nor any Dissenting Teacher.

  2. Public or charity schools: We have <no> endow'd School nor any publick or Charity one within our Parish. We have usually Thirty or Forty Children taught to read, write & Cast Accounts by a well qualified licenc'd School master, who, to my Knowledge (as I think it my Duty to look into Such <an> affair) instructs ym Carefully and Constantly by & with my Direction and assistance, in ye Principles of religion according to the Doctrine of the Church of England, and as ye Canon requires brings them duly to Church.

  3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment:We have a Parish-Stock in ye Hands of Feoffees, of about an Hundred and twenty pounds, ye Interest of which according to ye Wills of ye respective Donors is annually distributed amongst ye poorer Sort of Inhabitants who have no Constant Pay & our Minister (My Lord) for ye Time being has a Legacy of five pounds lodg'd in his Hand, ye annual Interest of which is by Him to be laid <out> in Pious Books for poor families; And ye Fee Simple of an Acre of Land, value about forty Shillings per Annum is given to ye Vicar & Church-Wardens for ye Time being, the Interest of which is by ym to be annually distributed amongst ye Aged & infirm Poor of ye Parish which Charities are, I believe, rightly applied, & other Charities have we none.

  4. Residence upon cure: I do, my Lord, personally reside in the Vicarage House of this Parish.

  5. Curate: As God has hitherto Enabled me to do my Duty amongst my Flock, in Person, I neither have, nor do Employ any Curate.

  6. Divine service at other churches: No, My Lord, unless it be now & then when I may be call'd upon to assist a Sick or absent Friend.

  7. Frequency of divine service: On all Such Dayes as the Church enjoins Service to be perform'd in parochial Congregations; unless any Thing which itself Cannot be prevented, prevents <me> in ye Discharge of my Duty; I preach twice every Lords Day from Easter to Michaelmas & from Michaelmas to Easter once.

  8. Frequency of communion: It formerly, My Lord, was administred but Six Times, in ye Year that is to Say, Twice at Easter, once at Whitsunday, once on ye nearest Sunday to ye Feast of Michael ye Archangel, once on Christmas <day>, and once on ye Sunday after Christmas day. But I for a few years past, judging it expedient to add a third Sacrament Day at Easter for ye reception of Such as had never Communicated before, & ye Reception of Such only have accordingly added a third Sacrament=Day at Easter that I might have ye Satisfaction of Knowing what new Communicants every new year produc'd. So that ye Holy Sacrament of ye Lord's Supper is now administred Seven Times in ye year in this Parish:

  9. Number of communicants: I imagine the Number of Communicants, My Lord, in this parish to be about an Hundred & fifty; The Number that usually receive together Seldom Exceeds Forty, & at ye 3 Sacraments last Easter, I believe about one Hundred might Communicate.

  10. Catechising of children: I Catechize ye Children & Apprentices of ye Parish during ye whole Season of Lent, & in Some of ye Summer Months, & must do my Parishioners the Justice to Say that yey are both Careful in instructing their Children & servants themselves, & ready at all Times, when Call'd to send <them> to me for further Instruction.

  11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: We have, My Lord, no publick Chappels in our Parish; but there are four private Oratories belonging to four large Estates, vizt Gristone, Hall, East Port & Varaby, now either in Ruins, or converted to Secular Uses; but I Can't find that yey ever were otherwise Us'd as places of Worship, than by the Popish Families who formerly possess'd those Estates, & Serv'd by their domestick Chaplains.

    Bishop's Nymet V.--- Lemuel Giffiths, A:B Collat August ye 12th 1736 Presb: June the 4th 1732. Both Instruments Sign'd, Steph: Exon. [Explanation]