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An important Restoration was carried out in the year ending 16th April 1677. Bishop Anthony Sparrow of Exeter subscribed £5 and the Archdeacon of Cornwall(Drewe) gave £4-14s-0d including these gifts they spent that year £198-9s-1d. A large sum at a time when a carpenter or mason had only 1s-2d. for his day’s work.
I will give the details of the whole years expenditure—some of it normal and some of it exceptional—but all interesting. First they raised £105-6s-6d. by rate and gifts above mentioned and then borrowed £100 which they paid off next year.
Their spendings were—Due on last account, £7-19s-6d. Paid to Registrar for taking in the copie of the Register book the last year, 6d. At the Archdeacon’s Visitation at Okehampton, April the 11th, 1676, 6s. Paid then to the apparitor for his fee, 1s. Paid then for expenses for myself and sidemen, 6s-1d. To the Messenger who brought the IIII£. Xlllls. from Mr. Archdeacon Drew, 2s. To Thomas Bassett, the Apparitor for the fast booke for the 30th Jan. 1675, 6d. To him for his fee when the sidemen were sworn, 1s. To him for his fee at Michaelmas Court, 1s. To Alexander Hockady for a wild catt's head, 4d. For ten bushels of Welsh lyme and for the carriage of it fro Ware (query Wharf) 26s-8d. To the Messenger who bespoke it, 1s. For two seames of sand, 2s-4d. For the lifting of it, 4d. To two seamen, Matthew Hoskins and John Harris, who had suffered shipwrecke, 6d. For my labour and two sidemens’ labour in riding to Okehampton att the Visitation, 3s. To the Constables for the quarterly pay att ten shillings and five pence a quarter — for a halfe yeare due at Mich: 1675, 21s. For the quarterly pay of nyne shillings and three pence a quarter for a halfe yeare due and ended at Mich: 1676, 18s. 6d. Paid more to the Constables for a quarter’s pay due and ended att Christmas, 1675, 9s. 3d. To Peter Eame for clensinge the Church, 1s-8d. To Edward Adham a poore man of Okehampton’ who came with a certificate from the Vicar, Mayor and Burgesses there, 2s.
Expenses of 1676 continued.
Paid for a pair of Gemmisse (hinges) for the Font doore, 9d. To Alce Stephens for 400 footte of Board, 47s. For tymber for the seates and carrigge, 47/6. To Edmund Oliver for 55 Footte of board, 6s. 6d. To Ames Thorne the Smith as by his note, 7s. 1d. To Michael Davy for 4 Kites heads, 8d. To the Apparator waitinge on the Deane Rurall, 12d. For 100 of lathes, 12d. For 1000 of lath nailes, 13 (?). To Ames Thorne for 14lb of Brads, 7s. To him for halfe hatch nailes, 2d. To Mr. William Bailey for a yeers interest for £100 borrowed for the Church, £6. To Thomas Gilbertt by composition and agreemt. for the building of the Church, £142—. To the painter as by his receipt, 6-15-0. For the Cannope, 20s. To Thomas Hancocke for Kites heads, 10d. To Sidrach Stephens for 3 dayes worke on the South Roofe of the Church, 3s. 6d. To Peter Eame for two dayes to attend him, 20d. For bread and beare for the ringers on the 5 of Nov 1676, 5s. To Sidrach Stephens for 16 dayes worke in laying the raggs on the floare of te Curch, (sic) 18s. 8d. To Peter Eame for 16 dayes to attend him, 13s. 4d. To the Painter for coulleringe of the Pulpitt and Canope, 9s. To Giles Bewes for clensing the Church Leads, 6d. For bread and wyne for the Communion at Christmas, 14s. 4d. For the carryage of it from Launceston, 12d. To two Sea-men who came with letpasse, 6d. To Gregory Bewes the Carpenter, for 30 dayes worke in repainring (sic) the seats, 35s. To Giles Bewes for 30 daies work, 35s. To Thomas Hancocke for 31 daies work, 36s. 2d. To Clement Beare for 25 dayes work, 29s. 2d. To Willie Trebble for 27 dayes worke, 31s. 6d. For 200 of lathes, 2s. For 2 bushells ½ of lyme and for carryage, 3s. 9d. To Sidrach Stephens for 8 dayes worke on the South roof of the Church, 9s. 4d. To Peter Eame for 5 dayes to attend him, 4/2. For Ragg nailes, 2d. To Ames Thorne for making of the Pickaxe, 12d. For the quarterly pay at 9s. 3d. a quarter for a halfe yeare due and ended att O: La: Day 1677, 18s. 6d. For expenses and other necessary charges this whole year, 19s. l0d. For washinge of the Surplice and Com : cloath, 3s. For keeping of the Register booke, 6d. For writinge outt a coppie of the Register Booke and sending of it to Exon, 2s. For writing and entringe the new rate into this Book, 12d.
Expenses of 1676 concluded.
Paid for writing this accompt, 12d. To Glazier for glassing and mendinge the Church Windows, 15/4¼d. To Will Turner, for 200 of board 28/- and for carryage of them. For two longe barrs in the Tower Window and souldringe the old for cross barrs, 7/0¼d. For the stone for the window, 5/- For hewinge and settinge upp of him, 5/-. For the carriage of the same stone and topp stone from Clawton, 2/-. To John Blewett for 4 dayes worke, 3/6. For 28 dayes worke in the repairinge of the Church yard hedge, 28/-. For Tymber for the Church Stiles, 10/-. For Boards and Planke and other Tymber, 4/-. For Matts to Robt. Dunne for the Pew and Pulpitt, 2/-. For carryage of the Tymber for the Stiles, 7d. To Giles Bewes for 2 dayes, 2/11d. To Willie Treble for 2 dayes, 2/11d. To Hugh Broad and Thomas Eame for parte of a dayes worke to clense the church of rubbish, 18d. To Thos. Bassett the apparrator for Entringe and withdrawinge my presentments at Mich: Court 1676, 22d. To Ames Thorne for 2 stapes Brads and nailes, 11d. For the aparrators fee, 12d. To Tho. Gilbert for haire for the plaisteringe of the Church, 2/3d. To Stpn. Ellary for the carryage of 200 of Board fro Higher Larkworthy, 12d. To Peter Eame for keeping the doggs out of the Church this yeare, 2/-. To him for ringinge the Bell Sundayes att eight of the clocke in the morning, 12d. To him for washinge and wipinge of the Bellpeags agt. the 5th of November, 6d. To him for carrying of hellinge stones into she Church, 6d. To him for washinge the seats after the masons, 12d To him for clensing the gutter by the Tower, 6d. To him for cutting of the nettles in the church yard, 6d. To him for clensing the Church after the carpents, 6d. To him for keepinge and brushinge of the Hearse Cloath, 4d. To him for sweepinge of the Church fower times this yeare. For Bread and Wine for Palme Sundaye and Easter Day, 37/10d. For bringinge thereof two several times fro Lanceston, 2/-.
The usual annual expenditure was about £20; that year it was nearly £200.
I propose now to give the names of the ratepayers of the Parish (of course there were Church Rates in those days), who contributed to this big Restoration. The heading runs as follows:— Aishwater. The Rate there made for the repairinge of the Church by John Beckett, Minsisters, William Downe, Churchwarden, Robert Peperell, and Sidrach Stephens, Sidemen, and confirmed by the Right Reverend Father in God, Anthony, by divine Providence Lord Bishopp of Exon: and Edward Master, Doctor of the Law, Chancellor, Anno. Dm.: 1675.
Mrs. Mary Short, widdowe, 5s.; Thomas Sheere Esq, 2s 2d ; John Trewbody, gen 2s.; Mrs. Mary Larkworthy and her sonne, 20d.; William Downe for Hunscott, 13d.; Henry Ham, l0d.; William Turner, 18d.; John Quance, 22d_ John Pearce, 22d.; Robert Peperell, 18d.; Sidrach Stephens, 13d.; Will: Downe for Pristacott, 13d ;The same for Viza Gismt the same for Crospke: Meadow, 1d.; John Horrell for Higden, 10d.; the same for Ford, 8d. ; Anthony Horrell for Higden, 8d. ; the same for Blacklands, 2d ;Arthur Bassett 18d. ; William Cruse for Burrowe, 10d. ; the same for Grindsworthy, 18d.; Arthur Cuttinge, 18d. ; John Harris, 9¼d. ;Will: Harris, 9¼d. ; John Frost or the occupant of Middlecroft, 18d. ; John Veale for Langford 14d. ; Will: Norcott for Langford 14d. ; John Bassett for Langford 14d. ; Will: Fennamoore or the occupant 14d. ; Thomas and Olliver Veale for Berridon 14d. ; Olliver Veale, Braddon, 5d. ; 1saac Sheere gen: l6d. ; Abel Crocker 17d. ; the same for Jewell’s Tenemt, 5d. ; Sidrach Baskerville for Quoditch, 12d. ; the same for Luckroft, the same or occupant for pt of Westdowne, 2d. ; the same or occupant for Hunscott, 6d. ; John Baskerville for Quoditch, 11d. ; the same for Norcott’s Tenemt 5d. ; William Horrell and J Veale jr. 12d. ; Will : Horrell for Lower Tenemt, 5¼d. ; Gideon Joslyn Clarke, 10d. ; Thomas Cruse for Hole, 6d. ; the same for Lane Pke, 8d. ;the same for Lane Downe, 4d. ; Ann Smith for Hole, 6d. ; the same for North Downe, 2d. ; Andrew Allyn or occupant, 8d. ; Will Lashbrooke, 13d. ; John Beare for Stadford 7d. ; John Ellyott for Henford. 14d. ; Will Bennet for Morcombe, 13d.; Roger Moon or his mother 11d. ; Will: Downe for East Blagdon, 12d. ; John Bassett for Luckroft 10d. ; Philippe Rocky for his Higher Tenemt, 10d. ; the same for his Lower Tenemt, 6d. ; Sampson Combe, 6d. ; William Davy 6d. ; the same for Drake's Tenemt, 6d. ; the same for Rainston 2¼d. ; Alce Stephens for Rainston, 10d. ; Michaell Davy for Rainston, 6¼d. ; John Luxmoore 7d. ; Rich: Lane 4d. ; John Martyn or occupant 14d. ; Thomas Martyn, 5d. ; Rich Martyn, 7d. ; Margaret Fry, widdow 9d. ; John Bassett for Braddon, 12d. ; John Bassett for pte Hunscot,6d. ; Mary Horrell widdow, 6d. ; Rich: Baskervill, 5d. ; Dyana Crocker 10d. ; Lawrence Beare, 5d. ; Tristram Beare, 5d. ; Will: Aish, 10d. ; David Pearce, 4d.; Thomas Metherell 8d. ; Anthony Beare,6d. ; Edmund Olliver, 5d.; Olliver Rocky, 10d. ; John Alpha, 10d. ; Abel Palmer, 5d.; John Treble 2d. ; Edward Hore, 4¼d. ; Olliver Veale for pte of Westerdowne, 4¼d. ; Agnes Palmer, widdow, 4¼d. ; Jane Hamlyn, widdow, 5¼d. ; Will: Ballett Aish Mills, 3d. ; Achilles Fry or occupant, of Whittacroft, 2d. ; Joseph Sheere, gen: 2d. ; John Dirrant, 3d. ' Taverner Ham or the occupant of Cochran's Tenemt, 2d. ; Will: Martyn for Arscott's land, 3d. ; Rich: Crocker for Hay, 6d. ; Sara Palmer, 5d. ;Mary and Hanna Horrell, 2d. ; John Blewett, 2d. ; Michaell Bailey, 1d. ; John Bassett gen; for Cockworthy, 1d. ; John Baskervill for Cockworthy, 1d. ; John Ellary, 1d. ; Nathaniell Harris, 1d. ; Will: Philppe 1d. ; Clement Gay for East Clawmoore, 1d.
Apparently the above is the scale and for two years they must have collected about twenty-five times the sums mentioned here
Probably there was much dilapidation, England had suffered from Civil War, and there had been a time of neglect and confusion. If the effort had been merely an effort to beautify and decorate, it does not seem likely that the Bishop and Archdeacon would have subscribed. Their contributions seem to point to necessary repairs.
Thomas Gilbert, the contractor, was paid £142; a large sum for those days. and the seating work you notice did not come into this contract.
I feel that the Restorers of this time gave us one feature of our Church for which we can feel anything but grateful, I mean our feeble-looking arcade which is always an eyesore.
They found the very short octagonal pillars (about 2ft 6in shorter than they are now) all together at the western end of the arcade supporting graceful arches. All this they thought they would improve, so they shifted things about, placing granite and freestone pillars alternately, blocking up the nice sturdy free stone octagonal pillars on great ugly square lumps of stone to make them high enough to match the granite. (Each looks now like a man with a club foot). Then in building the arches on top of these refixed pillars they put up all the granite on the nave side and all the freestone arch work on the aisle side The graceful 13th century western arches were abolished and the depressed and depressing ones which trouble our eyes today were put in their place. If you look at the arches now you will see that the wall above them does not match the free stone pillars in thickness. Of course it could not, as it was trying at the same time to match the granite pillars in thinness.
As to other work done at this time. Possibly the Tower needed repair and probably some windows were rebuilt. Note what I said about the granite windows and doorway when writing on the Carminow period in a previous number.
Someone suggested that the aisle roof was put up at this time and not in the 15th century, but the wardens' accounts set us right there for they tell us that in 1679-80 the South Roof was new healed at a cost of £8 10s. If the roof had been taken in hand in 1677 it would not have needed new healing in 1679.
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