To the Revd the Minister of Rackenford

Chanter 232A, 31

  1. Residence, curate and lecturer: I Reside upon My Cure & in my Parsonage House the greater part of my time, but not altogether so for having a wife of a weak & tender Constitution unable any longer to bear ye Severity of ye Winters Cold at Rackenford, were obliged for ye Restoring her health to look out for another House; and accordingly (and for ye Education of my Children also) she & they removed to Tiverton, & have lived there seven years: From whence I ride to & fro; going in generally ye middle of ye week, & Returning to Rackenford Saturdays but no Duty I assure your Lordship is hereby neglected.

  2. Other benefices: I have only Rackenford.

  3. Divine service at other churches: At no other Church at present.

  4. Frequency of divine service: I perform Divine Service twice every Lords Day, & Preach Alternately; having observed we have a larger Congregation in ye afternoon generally, than in ye Morning.

  5. Frequency of communion: Four times in ye year, at ye usual Seasons. We had at Easter last about thirty Communicants.

  6. Catechising of children: In ye Afternoon in ye Summer Season when ye Sermon is in ye Fornoon.

  7. Church fabric: They are both in good Repair; but we want a new Communion Table & a decent Cloth to Cover it.

  8. Glebe terrier: We have no Terrier yt I know of; but if your Lordship will be pleasd to appoint who shall assist me herein, will use my best Endeavour to make, or Procure one.

  9. Number of families: About sixty Families.

  10. Chapels: We have no Chapel where Divine Service is performed.

  11. Papists, dissenters and meeting houses: We have no Papist, or Sectary of any sort in ye whole Parish.

  12. School, alms-houses, hospital and charitable endowments: We have only a private English School; No Alms House, Hospital, or parochial Library.

  13. Charity: Our Table of Gifts in ye Church saies thus. Mary Ayre of Crediton gave forty shillings to be paid yearly for ever for keeping four poor Children to School. ye same was given to Templeton. both which are withheld.

    Priest's orders and institution: I was Instituted to Rackenford in ye Year 1752. Ordained Priest in ye year 1755. Who am most dutifully your Lordships Obedt humble Servant Thos Barnes.

    Rackenford May ye 10th 1779.
    A Letter directed to me at Tiverton will come <safe> to my hand.