Episcopal Visitation Returns, 1744, Northam

Chanter 225, ref: B/828-829
Taken from Friends of Devon’s Archives
www.foda.org.uk/visitations/1744/Chanter225B/Northam.htm

Provided by David Carter 2023

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Text:

Q1) What Number of Families have you in your Parish? Of these how many are Dissenters? And of what Sort or Denomination are they? Is there any licenced or other Meeting-House of Dissenters in your Parish? Who teaches in such Meeting-House?
A) The Number of Families in ye Parish is supposed to be about six hundred of which I believe a fourth p[ar]t are Dissenters of ye Presbyterian Sect. here is a Meeting House. Licensed as I am Informed. Teacher Benjamin Wills.

Q2) Is there any Publick or Charity School, endowed or otherwise maintain’d, in your Parish? What Number of Children are taught in it? And what Care is taken to instruct them in the Principles of the Christian Religion, according to the Doctrine of the Church of England, and to bring them duly to Church, as the Canon requires?
A) Here is a Charity School of a small Endowment ye Number of Scholars consisting of twelve duly taught according to ye Principles of ye Church of England.

Q3) Is there in your Parish any Alms-house, Hospital, or other charitable Endowment? Have any Lands or Tenements been left for the Repair of your Church, or other pious Use? Who has the Direction of such Benefactions? Do you know or have you heard of any Abuses or Frauds committed in the Management of them?
A) Here are some Alms-houses, but I cannot Learn if ever they were endowed. A small estate of about 12 pounds per annum is given to ye Poor of ye Parish, together with some annuities; ye Management of which is Vested in ye Parish officers.

Q4) Do you reside personally upon your Cure, and in your Parsonage House? If not, where do you reside? And what is the Reason of your Non-Residence?
A) I Reside Personally upon my Cure.

Q5) Have you a residing Curate? What is his Name? Is he duly qualified according to the Canons in that Behalf? Does he live in your Parsonage House? What Allowance do you make him?
A) [No answer given]

Q6) Do you perform Divine Service at any Church besides your own?
A) I do not.

Q7) On what Days is Divine Service performed in your Church? If not twice every Lord’s-Day, with a Sermon in the Morning, for what Reason?
A) On Sundays & Saints Days. & Wednesdays & Fridays in Lent. Two Sermons on Sundays.

Q8) How often in the Year is the Holy Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper administered in your Church?
A) Five times.

Q9) How many Communicants are there in your Parish? How many of them usually receive? In particular, How many were there, or whereabouts might be the Number of them who Communicated at Easter last past?
A) Here are, I believe, between 3 & 4 hundred Communicants, of which 160 usually Receive: at Easter about 300 Communicants.

Q10) At what particular Times, and how often, are the Children catechized in your Church? Do your Parishioners send their Children and Servants who have not learned their Catechism to be instructed by you?
A) On Sundays, in Evening Service during ye Summer Seasons. They do.

Q11) Have you any Chapels within your Parish? What are the Names of them, how far are they distant from the Parish Church, and by whom are they served? Have you any Chapel in Ruins, in which no Divine Service is performed?
A) Here is an old Chapel in Ruins, if ever Consecrated or not uncertain.

Q) It would be, at this Time, a further Satisfaction to me, if you would write down for me upon this Paper, the Dates of your Institution (or Collation) and Priest's Orders, after the Manner of the Specimen hereunto added.
A) Northam V. – Joshua Bawden A:B:
Inst. March 19. 1741. Jno. Cant:
Presb. Decr. 21 1740 Ste: Exon.

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