To the Revd the Minister of Bigbury

Chanter 232B, 571

  1. Residence, curate and lecturer: The Rector, the Revd. Mr. Charles Powlett doth not reside on the cure, but is Chaplain to a Regiment of Horse last year encamped at Salisbury. I am his Residing Curate, Live in the Parsonage House, am duly Licensed with a Salary of Forty Five Pounds per year, and the Surplice Fees. There is not any Lecturer within our Parish.
    Elias Witheare.

  2. Other benefices: The Rector hath not any other Benefice that I know of besides Bigbury. Elias Whitheare.

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

  4. Frequency of divine service: I generally perform divine Service in my Church twice every Lord's Day with a Sermon in the Forenoon and another in the afternoon. Elias Whitheare.

  5. Frequency of communion: I administer the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper four times a year. The number of Communicants is generally about Twenty. Elias Whitheare.

  6. Catechising of children: I generally give notice of my Intention to Catechise the children of my Parish on Trinity Sunday, and begin Catechising the Sunday following. Elias Whitheare.

  7. Church fabric: Our Church and Chancel are in good Repair, the Church-yard is well kept; and we have all things decent for divine Service. Elias Whitheare.

  8. Glebe terrier: There is not that I know of any Terrier of the Glebe Lands, Houses, &c within our Parish. I have heard there is one in your Lordship's Register's office: if not; I will Endeavour to provide one, and deliver it in properly Signed at your Lordship's Visitation.
    Elias Whitheare.

  9. Number of families: There are in our Parish about fourscore Families. Elias Whitheare.

  10. Chapels: There is no Chapel within the Parish wherein divine Service has been performed within the memory of man. There is a place called St. Anne's Chapel which seems formerly to have been a Chapel, now a dwelling House.There is another called St. Michael's which is quite in Ruins. The oldest Person living within the Parish cannot remember that either of them was ever used as a Chapel.
    Elias Whitheare.

  11. Papists, dissenters and meeting houses: There are not any reputed Papists; neither is there any Meeting House for Dissenting Congregations within our Parish. Elias Whitheare.

  12. School, alms-houses, hospital and charitable endowments: We have not any publick, but there is a private School within our Parish for instructing Children to Read. We have an Alms-House but not endowed. We have no Hospital or other Charitable Endowment, nor any Parochial Library. Elias Whitheare.

  13. Charity: There have not any Lands or Tenements been left for any pious or charitable Uses. But several small sums of money have been given to the Parish to the amount of twenty five pounds, to be continued and kept up by the Parish as a Stock for the Relief of the Poor. The Interest of which money is distributed every Easter Tuesday to such Families as are not under weekly or monthly Relief. Elias Whitheare.

    Priest's orders and institution: Elias Whitheare A:B: was ordained Priest December 20th 1741. By his Lordship Stephen Exon. was Licenced to the Curacy of Bigbury Aug. 19th 1752 by his Lordship George Exon.

    A Letter will find me directed to me at Bigbury near Modbury Devon.
    Dated April 29th 1779