To the Revd the Minister of Instow

Chanter 232A, 50

  1. Residence, curate and lecturer: I do Reside Personally upon my Cure, and in my Parsonage House.

  2. Other benefices: I Have no more Benefices than one.

  3. Divine service at other churches: I do not Perform Divine Service at any Church besides my own.

  4. Frequency of divine service: Divine Service is Performed in my Church Twice Every Lord's Day.

  5. Frequency of communion: The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is Administred Four Times in the year; and the Comunicants (Generally) about Sixteen.

  6. Catechising of children: Sometimes in Lent, and at other times before an Approaching Confirmation.

  7. Church fabric: The Church and Chancel are in Good Repair, and the Church-yard well kept, and all things Decent for Divine Service.

  8. Glebe terrier: I Have a Terrier of the Glebe Lands, House &c - according to the Tenor of the 87th Canon.

  9. Number of families: About Fifty.

  10. Chapels: We have no Chapel within our Parish.

  11. Papists, dissenters and meeting houses: We have no Reputed Papists in our Parish, neither Meeting-Houses for Dissenting Congregations.

  12. School, alms-houses, hospital and charitable endowments: We have no Publick School in our Parish, Alm's Houses, Hospital, or other Charitable Endowment.

  13. Charity: [Entered on a slip of paper bound into the volume in the middle of the return.]
    To the XIII Quaere Mr. John Carter, son of the Late of Mr Richard Carter, Curate of this Parish April 18th 1731 left a Benefaction of Twenty Shillings per Annum for ever; Payable out of His Land's in Ottery St. Mary to Poor House Keepers not Having Pay of the Parish, which Sum was yearly paid, as some of the Parishioners, who have Received the Benefit Thereof can Testify; but for many years Past it hath been Discontinued, but for what Reason I cannot Fully Declare Since my Institution, I myself, and the officers of the Parish have been at Several Pounds Cost to Recover it again, but without Effect. We are at this Time making a motion for a more diligent Search, and Enquiry, and Intend to spare no Cost if by any means we can Attain the Desired End.

    Priest's orders and institution: I Thomas Polton, Batchelor of Arts was Inducted into the Real Actual and Corporal Possession of the Rectory and Parish - Church of Instow near Bideford on March the 28th 1765. I was Ordained Priest at Exon on June the Seventeenth 1739.