Revd. G.D. Melhuish - Notes on the History of Ashwater Parish and Church

Bishops & Terriers.

Here is something of interest that may as well be noted now as later. It comes from stray papers found at the Diocesan Registry by Preb. Chanter. You know that Wardens have to make “ Presentments” at the Visitations—which means that they bring to the notice of the Bishop or Archdeacon anything that should be considered or corrected by them. Nowadays they usually ‘ present ‘ such things as a leak in the Church roof or a bell cage out of order. In olden days it was often a personal affair and very often no doubt had a political significance. In 1668 we have the following :—

Henry Ham, Churchwarden; Oliver Rockey and Arthur Bassett, Sidemen.

“ We present Robert Pearce for his wilful absence from Church and refusing the Sacrament.”

“ We present Richard Larkworthy, Gent., for putting one his hatt one his head att the time of the exposition of cathechesme and sermon time.”

BISHOPS.

I mentioned Prebendary Chanter as one who is doing most useful public work at the Diocesan Registry at Exeter, sorting old papers, tabulating, arranging, cataloguing and so forth. I looked him up a short while ago and asked him if he had anything interesting about Ashwater. He dug amongst bundles, of papers at once and said, “How about Bishop Visitation questions?” and produced a number of dusty specimins of the forms that Clergy have to fill in when the Bishop holds his Visitation (not to he confused with the Archdeacon’s Visitations). I will summarise the answers.

The first he produced bore date 1744, and the answers were given:—
By WILLIAM SYMPSON, who was Curate-in-Charge at the time. He says, “I know not what number of families are in the parish, I know of no dissenters or meeting-house. I reside at the Parsonage House and am allowed £48 per annum. I perform service in no other Church. Divine Service every Lord’s Day with sermon in the morning. Holy Communion four times a year: Children catechised in Church as often as they are sent for that purpose.”

The next is:—
By PETER SHERWIN, Rector and is dated 1764. He says “I reside constantly upon my cure but not at the Parsonage House as I was obliged to rebuild it and have not quite finished.” He also served Churches of Virginstow and St. Giles. Divine Service was held in winter every morning, and in summer morning and afternoon. Holy Communion seven times a year. Between 30 and 40 communicants. Catechizing— ”As my parish is of large extent I begin with the youth in Passion week, when I read prayers and preach in the morning or expound Catechism; and on other Sundays till I have gone through the Catechism.” Between 40 and 50 families that were payers(i.e., Ratepayers) besides paupers. There was no “Meeting House.” “As I am informed there was left the interest of £20 for the use of the poor at Easter, but embezzled before my time: however we allow it out of the Poor Rate.”

Further Visitation replies:—

By THOMAS MELHUISH, 1779. — “ I serve two Churches besides my own— Virginstow and Lufflncott. Divine Service at Ashwater twice on Sundays. Sermon in morning. Holy Communion seven times a year. Catechizing in the summer. About 100 families in the parish. No Papists or Dissenters of any Denomination.”

By THOMAS MELHUISH (junior), 1821. —“ I perform Divine Service once every Sunday at Clawton for my father, who assists me at Ashwater - I have no other benefice. Divine Service twice every Sunday. with Sermon in morning, except in shortest days when there is one service and sermon. 131 families in the parish. Holy Communion seven times a year. 60 to 70 Communicants. We have regular Sunday School and one other for the younger children in the village. Catechising every Sunday when there are two services.” (He says that there no Papists but some few Methodists.)

Here is something of interest that may as well be noted now as later. It comes from stray papers found at the Diocesan Registry by Preb. Chanter. You know that Wardens have to make “ Presentments” at the Visitations—which means that they bring to the notice of the Bishop or Archdeacon anything that should be considered or corrected by them. Nowadays they usually ‘ present ‘ such things as a leak in the Church roof or a bell cage out of order. In olden days it was often a personal affair and very often no doubt had a political significance. In 1668 we have the following :—

Henry Ham, Churchwarden; Oliver Rockey and Arthur Bassett, Sidemen.

“ We present Robert Pearce for his wilful absence from Church and refusing the Sacrament.”

“ We present Richard Larkworthy, Gent., for putting one his hatt one his head att the time of the exposition of cathechesme and sermon time.”

TERRIERS.

Prebendary Chanter; after the Visitation answers, dug again in his dusty quarry and produced some Terriers,—not soldiers and not four-legged rabbit hunters—but fusty bits of paper describing the Terra or land belonging to the Church in any parish.

The one that looked oldest had no date and no signature. It gave a list of the glebe lands, including Broome Park and Wood, Little Park and meadow underneath, Mill Park, Culfer Park, Barne Parke, Great Meadow, Home Meadow, Orchard, Beanhaie, Cottage called Pullhare.

The Rectory house had one Hall, one Parlour, four Chambers, one Studie, one Buttere, one Dairy, one Kitchen, one Barne, one Stable, with Courtlegge and Town place thereto belonging.

In 1613 the Terrier, instead of an account of the Glebe, gives an inventory of the Goods and Ornaments of the Church. These were— three Bells, one Bible, two Books of Common Prayer, the works of Bishop Jewell, the Paraphrase of Erasmus, the Book of Homilies, one Communion Table with a carpet and a linen cloth, one Cloth for the Pulpit, one Silver Cup with the cover, one Pot of Pewter, two Surplices, two Chests, one Alms box for the poor.

In describing the bounds of the Parish, instead of saying that St. Giles joins on the South West, it gives the name South Sydenham. I think that few are now aware that St. Giles was ever so called.

This Terrier is signed by Robert Baker, Warden; Phil Hockaday and John Kinsman, Sidemen; and William Slader, Rector.

Some years ago Prebendary Chanter gave a report on all the Church Plate in the Diocese to the Devon Association. He there states that he considers the Ashwater Chalice and Cover to be late Jacobean or early Caroline. As the Chalice and Cover were in existence in 1613 (almost certainly the same) it appears that he has hardly put the date early enough.

A very full Terrier was made by John Beckett Rector, 1673 to 1690, and Oliver Veale Churchwarden. The Parsonage House is said to contain Two Parlours, Great and Little. Great Parlour floored with Earth. Little Parlour planched with Board also four under rooms, to wit— Hall, Kitchen, Dairy, Cellar, Malthouse, all floored with earth. Walls (as also of Great and Little Parlours) are of mud, none wainscotted. (cob walls I suppose — He does not say whether they were plastered). Chambers are eight, to wit (1) over the Great Parlour. (2) over the Little Parlour. (3) over entry from the fore door (4) over entry from back door. (5) over the cellar. (6) over the malthouse. (7) over the Dairy. (8) over the kitchen. You notice he says, “four” under rooms besides the two parlours and then gives five. Perhaps he does not count the Hall as a room.

The out-houses are four—Barn, Stable, Shippen and Drie House.

This Terrier says there are 67½ acres of Glebe and, amongst other things, states that Coulver Park contains 10 acres and is divided from Barn Park by the Lane, so it evidently included Lily Park at that time and possibly the orchard and Lawn meadow. A full description is given of the boundaries and water courses. “Powelhaire,” as he spells it, has a dwelling-house, a little herb garden and a little Hop yard. It is the first time I have heard of hops being cultivated in this district— though some grow on the garden hedges of Mr. W. Fry and Mr. T. Northcott, and probably elsewhere.

A Terrier dated 1727, in the incumbency of Christopher Mitchel, says of the Rectory House that it was covered partly with slate and partly with shingle. There were four under rooms and seven chambers. Parlour and Hall had boarded floors, the rest earth floors. There was no wainscotting and there were no ceilings (whether this means that the chambers had no ceilings I don’t feel sure). The Barn had six bays and the stable nine bays. The Church had three Bells, one Bible, two Common Prayer Books, one Book of Homilies, one Cushion and Cloth for the Pulpit, One Communion Table and Carpet, &c. One Silver Cup with cover, weighing 16-ozs., without inscription, Two Pewter Flagons, two Chests.