To the Revd the Minister of Topsham

Chanter 232A, 261

1. Residence, curate and lecturer: I reside within my Parish in the House appropriated for the residence of the Clergyman. I am incapacitated by blindness for the service of the Church. I have assigned my right in the Church to the Revd Geo: Score under a certain written agreement between him & me, he lives within the Parish, & regularly performs the service of the Church.

2. Other benefices: I have the vicarage of Littleham; but being under the disagreeable circumstances of blindness, have assigned it to John Walter & Saml Eyre Esqrs who are to provide properly for the care of the same.

3. Divine service at other churches: I am so unhappily circumstanced as not to be able to do Duty in any Church.

4. Frequency of divine service: Divine service is perform'd twice every Lord's day with two Sermons & Prayers red twice every week & all Saints days.

5. Frequency of communion: The Sacrament of the Lds supper is administer'd at least eight times in ye year. The number of Communicants are from a Hundred to a Hundred & twenty.

6. Catechising of children: The children are call'd upon to be catechised every Summer.

7. Church fabric: The Church, Chancel, & Fences of the Churchyard are all in good repair, & all things are decent for divine Service.

8. Glebe terrier: I can give no positive answer to this Question having never seen any Terrier of the Glebe lands &c belonging to this Parish - All that I can say to this Question is that I have a House in which I live with a Garden contiguous, & an Estate in Pea-hembury purchased with Queen's bounty.

9. Number of families: About seven Hundred.

10. Chapels: I have no Chapel within my Parish, & consequently no service nor any endowment.

11. Papists, dissenters and meeting houses: There are three meeting houses within this Parish a Methodist's, a Quaker's & a Presbyterian - The names of the teachers I know not.

12. School, alms-houses, hospital and charitable endowments: There was three Hundred Pounds given by the Revd. Mr. Somaster of Widworthy in this County to instruct Poor Boys & Girls in reading, writing, kniting & sowing which I believe is properly employ'd. There is no Parochial Library.

13. Charity: No Benefactions have been left for charatable uses but what I have answer'd in the former Query.

    Priest's orders and institution: Topsham is a perpetual Curacy my nomination thereto was in ye year one Thousand seven hundred & forty three. My Priests orders bare date one Thousand seven hundred & forty.

    J Fortescue minister of Topsham.