FIRST WINTER MEETING. xli. 



(4). By CANON FLETCHER : 



" The Archdeacon of Dorset's Book,"- upon which he 

 read the following notes:- 



This MS, as may be seen, is neatly written, in a quarto volume of some 

 170 "folios," and is bound in vellum. It is generally known as "the 

 Archdeacon's Book," and has been in the custody of successive 

 Archdeacons of Dorset from the time when it was written. It has 

 recently been placed by Archdeacon Dundas in the custody of the 

 Cathedral Librarian at Salisbury, to be deposited as a perpetual loan in 

 the Cathedral Library. It has apparently been compiled mainly from 

 replies given to the enquiries made at various Archidiaconal Visitations, 

 although some use appears to have been made of Bishop Smalridge's* 

 Visitation returns. The Institutions to the various parishes are also recorded. 

 The book includes a period of upward of 40 years : viz., from 1736 

 to 1780, during which time Edward Hammond (1732-1762) and John 

 Walker (1762-1780) held the office of Archdeacon : and there were no 

 less than nine Bishopsf of Bristol !' The Volumne is in the same hand- 

 writing throughout. Consequently some part of it must be a fair copy of an 

 older document, or of rough notes previously compiled. It is of 

 considerable value, because of the light which it throws upon the condition 

 of Church Life and Church Services in the County of Dorset in the middle 

 of the 18th Century. It omits all records of Wimborne Minster with the 

 other Royal Peculiars, as well as of the 37 Churches belonging to the Dean 

 of Salisbury, as being outside the pale of Archidiaconal Jurisdiction.:}: But 

 it gives particulars, in the parishes of the County, as to the value of the 

 livings, the Stipends paid to Curates, the Institution of new Incumbents, 

 the Services held, the number of times the Holy Communion was 

 celebrated in the year (usually four times, though both at St. Peter's and at 

 Holy Trinity, Dorchester, it was six times). Catechising the children was 

 in most places confined to the summer months, although in some number 

 of cases it took place in Lent. At Manston it was " as often as the parents 

 will send them"; and at Toller Fratrum "every Sunday with Lewis' 

 Exposition." Statistics are frequently given as to the population, with the 

 number of ' Papists,' ' Presbyterians,' ' Dissenters,' (i.e., Independents or 

 Congregationalists), ' Methodists,' and ' Anabaptists.' The proportion of 

 Communicants varies considerably. Thus Swanwich with 228 families has 



* He was Bishop of Bristol, 1714-1719. The County of Dorset was in 

 the Diocese of Bristol from 1542 until 1836, when it was restored to its 

 former Diocese of Salisbury. 



t During the 18th Century Bristol had 19 Bishops. 



J Gillingham, however, and'Milton Abbey, which are stated to have been 

 il Peculiars," are included in the Archdeacon's Book. 



cf. D.F.C. Proceedings, Vol. XXXVIII, pp. 94-96. 



