To the Revd the Minister of Bideford

Chanter 232A, 107

  1. Residence, curate and lecturer: I do reside personally upon my cure, and in my Parsonages House.
    I have no Curate: nor is there here any Lecturer.

  2. Other benefices: I have no Benefice, but the Rectory of this Parish; and this Corporation=Town, a Seaport!

  3. Divine service at other churches: I do not perform Divine Service in any Church besides my own.

  4. Frequency of divine service: Divine Service is performed in my Church twice every Lord's Day, with a Sermon.

  5. Frequency of communion: The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administer'd three times a year – the usual number nine:score.

  6. Catechising of children: The youth were Catechised in the Weeks of Lent: while they sent their Children to be catechised.

  7. Church fabric: My Church is in tolerable Repair. I keep my Chancel always so and all things as well as I can.

  8. Glebe terrier: A Terrier of the Glebe Lands, Houses &c was made and delivered in by me at my first coming here. I suppose it is now in the Registry Court at Exeter.

  9. Number of families: The number of Families I used to return were about 800 – but the town is thinn'd, and reduced, and many Houses uninhabited.

  10. Chapels: There is at present no Chapel in my Parish: but there are remembrances of One on the East=End of the Bridge and in some Grounds paying Tithes to Bideford – Rectory.

  11. Papists, dissenters and meeting houses: I beleive there are no Papists – There is one Meeting: House of the Presbyterian Denomination. The Teacher Mr. Lavington.

  12. School, alms-houses, hospital and charitable endowments: There is a Publick School in this Parish. There are Alms Houses and other Charitable Endowments – so I hear.

  13. Charity: There are Lands and Tenements, left for pious & Charitable uses. Which I verily think are duly managed, and are duly applied.

    Priest's orders and institution: My Preists Orders bear date – September 20th 1730.
    My Induction bears date.. May 7th 1743.

    John Whitfeld. Rectr of Bideford.
    Parsonage Ho. Ascension Day 1779