Southley, Deanery of Honyton

Chanter 225A, 29-30

1. Population and dissenters: My Lord,
   There are about thirty distinct Families in my Parish, but some of them are very small. There is no Meeting-House in my Parish, nor any Dissenter of any Denomination.

2. Public or charity schools: There is no {Publick or Charity} School in my Parish onely for teaching little Children to read; where they are instructed in the Church Catechism, & are sent to Church to be examined.

3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: There is no Alms-House &c in my Parish nor any Lands for publick Uses.

4. Residence upon cure: I do reside in my Parsonage-House, but having the misfortune to labour under a great Indisposition am unable to officiate myself, & have therefore a Curate to supply for me.

5. Curate: My Curate’s Name is William Keate: He was licenced to serve my Cure by the late Lord Bishop under the annual Salary of thirty Pounds with the surplice Fees; but, not having a proper Convenience of residing in the Parish he lives at Colyton, about two miles distant, & he humbly begs your Lordship still to grant him that Liberty, as he <is> near enough to attend any Duty in the parish.

6. Divine service at other churches: My Curate performs Divine service once in a Month, on the Lord’s-Day in the Afternoon, at the Parish-Church of Northleigh.

7. Frequency of divine service: Divine Service is performed in my Church twice every Lord’s-Day with a Sermon in the Morning & Afternoon excepting once a Month, as mentioned in the Answer to the last Query. All Days of Humiliation & Thanksgiving appointed by Authority, are likewise duly observed.

8. Frequency of communion: Four times in the year, of which Easter is constantly one.

9. Number of communicants: There are about Seventy Persons in my Parish who are of age to be Communicants, but the Number of them who usually receive is onely between twenty & thirty. Tho’ I cannot exactly inform your Lordship, yet I believe there were about twenty who communicated at Easter last. These are more than did usually communicate a few years since, & I hope the Number will encrease.

10. Catechising of children: The Children of my Parish (which are but few) are catechiz’d on Sundays in the Summer; which is done so often, ‘till they have been examined & instructed in all the Parts of the Catechism. My Parishioners are ready, for the most part, to send their Children & servants for Instruction.

11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: There is no Chapel, My Lord, in my Parish.

    I have thus humbly given an Answer to Your Lordship’s Queries and am, My Lord, Your Lordship’s most obedient son, and humble Servant Wi. Bartlett, Recr of Southley.

    Southleigh R __ William Bartlett M.A. inst. Nov. 13 1731 Presb Jun. 9 1723. Geo Bath & Wells. [Explanation]