Westleigh, Deanery of Barum

Chanter 225B, 681-682

  1. Population and dissenters: There are about Sixty separate Families in our Parish: We have but One Old Woman, who is a Dissenter, <&> who sometimes goes to the Presbyterian Meeting-House at Bideford; having no Meeting-house in our Parish of any Denomination.

  2. Public or charity schools: There is no Charity School in our Parish. The poor people, who instruct Children in reading, or Writing, instruct ym likewise in ye Church-Catechism, & are Obedient to ye Canon.

  3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: There is a small Alms-house in our Parish maintain’d by ye Common Consent of our Parish’ners out of ye Church Rate. We have a small Tenement call’d ye Church Mannors in ye possession of Thomas Berry Gent in Value Sixteen Shillings per Annum given towards ye Repair of ye Church; ye Interest of Fifty pounds is likewise given to ye poor.

  4. Residence upon cure: I am Appointed Master of the Grammar School of Great Torrington by your Lordship; and still continue to perform all Offices in my Parish, which I have been Accustomed formerly to do.

  5. Curate: This I presume, will be Answer’d Your Lordship by Mr. John Silke School Master of Okehampton, who serves for Me a very Small Living in yt Neighbourhood.

  6. Divine service at other churches: I have lately Assisted, occasionally (together with Mr. Glub another Neighbouring Clergy Man) the Revd. Mr. Welsh of Littleham, who is often Afflicted with. the Gout.

  7. Frequency of divine service: I Read Prayers & preach One part of ye day, & read Prayers ye Other, on every Lords-day in my Own Church, Unless it be ye Sunday I preach at Littleham, when I preach One part of ye day only in my Own Church. I seldome or Never Miss{ing} reading Prayers at Westleigh all Holidays.

  8. Frequency of communion: Formerly, ye Sacrament of ye Lords Supper was administer’d four times in ye Year; but for some few years past, it has been it has been [sic] Administer’d oftener.

  9. Number of communicants: There are upwards of an Hundred of competent Age to receive ye Sacrament, about forty or fifty receive almost Every Sacrament Upwards of forty receiv’d last Easter.

  10. Catechising of children: I Catechize from ye beginning of Summer till ye beginning of Winter: It has been ye Usage here to send their Children & Servants who have been before somewhat instructed in ye Catechism; & not till then.

  11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: I have no Chapel within my Parish.

    Tho: Bate Vicr. of Westleigh.

    Westleigh V... Thomas Bate A.M.
    Inst. May. 6th. 1737. Presb. Sept. 19th. 1725.
    Stephen. Exon. [Explanation]