Northam Pew List
1732

Transcribed by David Carter 2017
Taken from original document in North Devon Record Office, ref: 1843A/PW/2/e/79

This Pew List document was commenced in 1732, and recorded the agreed seating positions for all parishioners who paid pew rent. The document was written by various clerks in different inks and handwriting, but this transcript has tried to extract as much information as possible.

This was a working document, and contains many changes when people died or left the parish. Their names were erased, crossed out, or over-written. This transcript indicates where names have been crossed out. All names have been transcribed verbatim.

The closest you were to the front of the church, the higher your social standing, so apart from seeing this list of names, it is also interesting to see where people sat. The rough layout plan below has been constructed from the notes in this Pew List document, and the area numbers are cross-referenced to the transcript.

1732 Northam Pew List transcription

Area 1 (see plan)

Mens seats above the step on the north side

Area 2 (see plan)

Mens seats on the south side above the step

Area 3 (see plan)

Mens seats on the north side of the eldest part of the church from the step westward

At a Vestry(?) [meeting?] held in the Parish Church at Northam the 23rd October 1732 agreed to be inrolled as follows:
That the constant and old custom of seating in this church is for life at one shilling for every life and that it remains.
That upon a dispute & difference between Roger Melhuish against Jno Benson and Mrs(?) Docton about the Pew & seats called Mr Melhuish's seats, tis(?) was agreed by them & approved by the Parishioners that the lives now inrolled in Mr Melhuishes seat remain & as vacanceys happen he & his successors to pay one shilling for every term(?) upon his own or the life of his successor or heirs always to regard eight rooms therein two more And that Mr Melhuish do now pay for eleven rooms in the seat above & seat below the great pew for his own life & to his heirs & successors always to pay in like manner, which if they refuse to do upon proper notice given then the seats above to be filled up by other parishioners & not otherwise.

Area 4 (see plan)

In the seat above the Great Pew

Area 4 (see plan)

Womens seats on the north side

Area 5 (see plan)

The seats behind the great north Church Door

Area 6 (see plan)

[No stated location or numbers for these pews, but obviously reserved for gentry]

Area 6 (see plan)

A pew for the vicar of Northam and his successors for ever

Area 7 (see plan)

Seats joyning to the north side of the pillers

Area 8 (see plan)

A Pew below the Alley

Area 8 (see plan)

Loft real seat

Area 9 (see plan)

Mens seats on the north side of the ffarther pte of the church

Area 10 (see plan)

Womens seats on the south side of the pillars

Area 11 (see plan)

Womens seats below the alley

Area 12 (see plan)

Mens seats on the south side of the church

Area 13 (see plan)

Womens seats on the south side of the church

Area 14 (see plan)

Seats behind the south church door

Area 14 (see plan)

The poor by the tower

Area 15 (see plan)

Mens seats in the south iel [aisle] under the loft on the east side

Area 16 (see plan)

Mens seats on the wester side of the ile under the loft

Area 17 (see plan)

Mens seats in the old loft

Area 17 (see plan)

Seat against the wall