Whitechurch, Deanery of Tamerton

Chanter 225B, 461-462

  1. Population and dissenters: We have Sixty Families, but two Dissenters a Man and his wife of the Presbyterian Persuasion.

  2. Public or charity schools: There is a Charity School for teaching eleven Poor Children to read & write, endowed with Six Pounds a year by the late Francis Pengelly Esq of Portridge Barrister at Law. The Children are taught the Church Catechism, & oblig'd to attend Divine Service.

  3. Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment: There is an Almshouse apply'd to the use of the poor by the Parish officers. The foremention'd Francis Pengelly Esqr gave an Hundred Pounds to this Parish the Interest of it to be distrbuted <yrly> in woll to the Poor Inhabitants, which is constantly done, John Drake yeoman of Bere Ferris being the only surviving Trustee. A widow gentlewoman of Lanston in Cornwal orderd Five Pounds to be paid to five Poor widows here to commence from February last, see below.

  4. Residence upon cure: I reside in my Vicarage house, (but I am Licensed to the adjoining Cure of Peter tavy,) for which I obtain'd leave of the late Lord Bishop of Exeter, as the Person whom his Lordship Licensed to this Cure is Master of the Grammar School in Tavistock, & on that account not Resident. I therefore Perform all the occasional Duties in both Parishes, and Humbly Request your Lordship to grant me the privilege of living at Whitchurch as it is advantagious to me, and but a very small distance from Peter Tavy payable out of an Estate in Whitchurch for a Thousand years. The Trustees whereof is the Revd Mr William Salmon Vicar of Milton Abbot.

  5. Curate: Mr John Jago is Curate of Whitchurch, who being Master of the Grammar School in Tavistock resides there, He was Licensed to this Cure by the late Lord Bishop of Exeter, & ordain'd Priest by your Lordship to whom I allow Thirty Pounds a year.

  6. Divine service at other churches: I alternately perform Divine Service at this Cure and that of Peter tavy.

  7. Frequency of divine service: We have Divine Service perform'd twice on Sundays with a Sermon in the morning.

  8. Frequency of communion: The Sacrament is administred here Eight times a year, at the three great Festivals, & at equal distances from them.

  9. Number of communicants: There are about Eighty Communicants in this Parish, and upwards of Fifty Communicated at Easter last.

  10. Catechising of children: The Children are Catechiz'd yearly on several Sundays dureing the Summer Season, and the number of Catechumens encreases yearly.

  11. Chapels or chapels in ruins: There is no Chapel in this Parish.

    Whitchurch V. Thomas Salmon A.M. inst. Maii 23. 1740. Presb: Sept. 23. 1739. [Explanation]