To the Revd the Minister of Ermington

Chanter 232B, 506

  1. Residence, curate and lecturer: I have the honour of your Lordships permission for residing at Modbury the Vicarage Houses both at Ermington and Kingston being neither fit for the residence of any Clergyman nor capable of being made so. The Churches are four miles distant from each other; but Modbury is only two miles from Ermington, and three from Kingston.

  2. Other benefices: I have but one Benefice, Kingston being only a daughter Church to Ermington.

  3. Divine service at other churches: I do not serve any Church but my own.

  4. Frequency of divine service: Divine service is performed twice on the first Sunday in every month, and on those Sundays when the sacrament of the Lords supper is administred <and two sermons are also preached>. On other Sundays service is in the morning only, and I serve Kingston in the afternoon.

  5. Frequency of communion: The sacrament of the Lords Supper is administered on the three great Festivals, and on the Sunday following the feast of St Michael. The number of Communicants is generally from forty to fifty.

  6. Catechising of children: There are two private schools in the Parish where reading and writing are taught. For that reason I presume it has not been customary for my Predecessor to catechise publickly: but I shall begin to do so immediately, as preparatory to your Lordships Confirmation.

  7. Church fabric: They are all in decent and proper order.

  8. Glebe terrier: There is a Terrier in your Lordships Registry of which I have a Copy.

  9. Number of families: About one hundred and twenty.

  10. Chapels: There is not any Chapel within the Parish.

  11. Papists, dissenters and meeting houses: There is one man of property, who never attends divine service in the Parish Church; but is otherwise of an unblemished character. He is a reputed, but not an avowed Papist. There is not any meeting-House for dissenting Congregations.

  12. School, alms-houses, hospital and charitable endowments: There are several private schools in the Parish but no publick one: nor is there any Alms-House Hospital <or> Parochial Library.

  13. Charity: There is an House for several families to live in within the Parish and also a small Estate situated in the Parish of Kingston appropriated to the benefit of the Poor of Ermington. Each of them is under the direction and management of Feofees; and I believe properly applied.

    Priest's orders and institution: I was ordained Priest at Wells the first of June 1760, and Instituted to the Vicarage of Ermington the 15th of November 1775.

    A letter directed for me at Modbury will most probably find
    Your Lordships most dutiful and obedt servt.
    George Townsend