The Diocese of Exeter in 1821

Bishop Carey's replies to queries before Visitation, Vol.II Devon.
Parish of Instow

Published by Devon & Cornwall Record Society, New Series Vol.4, pages 2 and 106

Transcribed by David Carter 2022

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Q1) What number of families have you in your Parish?
A) Sixty

Q2) Have you any Papists or Dissenters? If the latter, what Kind or Denomination? What Teachers of each are there resident in your Parish, or occasion ally visiting it? Are they licensed? What Places have they of public Meeting, licensed, or others?
A) Dissenters: A few Westly Dissenters. Licensed: Licensed in the year 1814. Preachers: Itinerant Preachers who preach on a Sunday afternoon. Place of Worship: An House or Room on Fullingcott Farm given them and supported by Dissenters from Lincolnshire.

Q3) Do you reside on your Benefice, and in the proper House of Residence? It not, assign the Reason.
A) Yes.

Q4) If you do not reside, Have you a Curate resident, And is he licensed? What is his Salary? If you have any Lecturer, What is his name?
A) No.

Q5) If you have any more Benefices than one, What is it? By whom is it served? Is the Curate thereof resident, And is he licensed? And if Non Resident, what is the reason thereof, and where does he reside? And what is his Stipend?
A) Livings: The Living of Trentishoe. Curate: Served by the Revd Willm Mules. License: I am not certain whether he has a License. He serves a large Parish adjoining: parish Coombemartin. Stipend: Twenty five pounds per annum – surplice Fees & small Tythes.

Q6) Do you perform Divine Service at any Church besides your own? And where?
A) I perform the accustomed duties of the Parish of Instow invariably.

Q7) Is Divine Service performed in your Church twice every Lord's Day, with a Sermon in the Morning? If not, state the Reason. And at what Hours?
A) Always Performed twice in the day during the Summer with a sermon in the morning, & prayers afternoon. Prayers continued until they forsake the church in short days and bad weather.

Q8) What Provision is there for the Instruction of Youth in Religion either by public or private Teaching?
A) A publick school which I in great measure supported for some years until Lady Sewell endowed the same with a benefaction & also another small donation arising from an House Garden & Field.

Q9) How often and at what Times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish?
A) Sunday Evenings. As there is a publick school & a Sundays school wherein they are Catechised every Sunday I only call them out in the summer & explain to them their answers.

Q10) How often is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered in your Church? And what Number of Communicants have you?
A) Administered four times in the year on the Grand Festivals. The number of Communicants that attend betwixt fifteen and twenty persons on the average number.

Q11) Are there any Benefactions for the Use of the Church, or Poor? Under what Management are they? Are they properly applied? Or have you Reason to Suppose that there obtains any Abuse or Fraud respecting them?
A) A small Benefaction given for the use of the Labourers by Mr John Carton a Curate of this Parish, one of his Lands in Ottery St Mary – withheld for many years.

Q12) Have you any Alm's-Houses, Hospital, or other Charitable Endowment? Are they duly managed according to the direction of their Founders? Have you any Parochial Library? And are the Books properly taken care of?
A) No other established Benefaction except the above named which is supposed to have been sold by the Churchwardens some years before my Institution.

Q13) Is your House of Residence in good Repair? Are your Church and Chancel also in good Repair? And is your Church-Yard well kept? And have you all Things decent for Divine Service?
A) The Church & Chancel in good repair. The Parsonage House has been by length of time become so feeble as to be very dangerous has been a great burthen on so small a Benefice & must be rebuilt in part this summer or will not be tenantable.

Q14) Have you a Terrier of the Glebe Lands, Houses, etc., according to the Tenor of the 87th Canon? If not, let one be made, and delivered in at the Visitation, properly signed.
A) There is a Terrier made A.D. 1723 which Terrier is unconclusive in regard to tythes wherein the Minister claims certain rights which the Parishioners disavow.

Q15) Have you any Chapel within your Parish? Who nominates to it? By whom is if served? And with what is it supported?
A) None.

Q16) If you have met with any particular Difficulties in the Discharge of your Duty; if you have observed any Defects, or Abuses in the Ecclesiastical Discipline of this Diocese, or have any Advice to give, or Proposals to make, by which the Glory of God, and the Honour and Interest of the Church may be promoted, and the Government of this Diocese be better ordered, I desire you freely to communicate your Thoughts to me; and be assured, that a proper Use shall be made of your Suggestions, in order to the Attainment of the Ends proposed by them. It would be a farther Satisfaction if you would write on this Paper the Dates of your Institution or Collation, and your Letters of Priest's Orders.
A) I have some few Proposals & Observations to make which I will beg leave to state to your Lordship by Letter. Instituted to Trentishoe July 15th 1782. Instituted to the Church of Instow on Monday August 16, 1784.

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