Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Bell and I drove to Hook Norton this evening when I took Divine Service for Cox who is on a brief visit to his father at Stockland Vicarage, near Honiton, who is ill. We returned immediately after service, declining Miss Fagan’s kind invitation to supper at the Rectory in order to save as much of daylight as possible for the drive home. I took the boy Hyde with me to open the gates and put up the mare at the “Sun” opposite the Church. I thought the congregation a good and very attentive one. The choir which was large for such a place sang, I thought, somewhat coarsely, and as though they did not know the music. It was a very pleasant drive but we had to light our lamps at Temple Mill on the return journey.

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Land is to be bought very cheap now. In 1727 Rev. John Loggin of Swalcliffe, Rector of Long Marston, left £200 for the poor of Swalcliffe, Sibford and other parishes. With that £200 + £20 a portion of land (A “Yard land”) was bought as an investment in Sibford Ferris. In 1787 the Enclosure Commissioners awarded to the Trustees the present estate of 20 acres and.about 35 perches with “timber” I suppose. That land was let to one tenant at £40 per annum. When I came here it was let in allotments at £2. 10. per acre. Now we charge only £2. Still it brings net after rates taxes, repairs, roadways and collection are allowed for £24 a year which is 12 per cent on original outlay.

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Frank sent £1 as a present to his mother and a like present to his sister out of his first earnings. Mr Fisher expressed himself as “more than satisfied” with him and gave him £5 for a month’s work. He went March 12 and came away for holidays on April 11th.

I hear two of Joshua Lamb’s children are down with scarlatina.