Welsh Journals

ant Reformation when, in 1574, a new and enlarged Communion Cup was provided for Llanddewi Church. This is still in use today. Another record, dated 1679, refers to the occasion when the churchwardens made a presentment to the Bishop's Visitation at Lampeter. The report draws attention to the poor state of repair of the church and its fabric. It appears that the roof, the bell, and the flagon were in need of repair at this time. 6 A further report to the Bishop of St. David's in early 1740 shows that the Rev. Vavasor Davies, the curate, who was also incumbent of Llan- nerchaeron at the same time, was in receipt of £ 6 a year from Aberarth. 7 The church, like most other local churches, was obviously in poor circum- stances and some form of help was essential. In December 1740, therefore, an application for assistance to the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty was made and a grant of £ 200 resulted. This augmentation of church funds from the Bounty was the most important means of support for small churches in poor parishes. The money was usually used to purchase farms and cottages, whose rents helped to support the stipend of the clergy. Indeed, through the use of Queen Anne's Bounty money, the income of the incumbent of Aberarth rose to £ 20 a year in 1786 and to £ 26 by 1795. 8 Once church funds were augmented in this way, however, the law demanded that the minister in charge should become a perpetual curate, giving him security of tenure. This rank survived at Llanddewi Aberarth for several generations. In 1832 we learn from a report submitted to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners that the incumbent at the time, the Rev. Thomas Thomas, was also incumbent at Aberporth, where he resided. In order to ease matters, a curate he shared with Henfynyw lived within a mile of Aberarth Church. The services provided at the time were: a sermon once on the Lord's Day, a monthly sacrament, a service and sermon on Christmas Day, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Ascension Day. Baptisms, marriages, and funeral services were provided. The report states that the tithes belonged to the prebendary of Aberarth in the Cathedral Church of St. David's, who was the patron of the benefice. Thus the Cathedral appointed and paid the stipend of the incumbent, which had now risen to £ 40 a year. This income grew over the years and had increased to £ 1 10 by 1906. To achieve this, a large number of trans- actions and dealings in the sale and purchase of farms and cottages were essential in order to obtain the best income from Queen Anne's Bounty. But, as the income rose, the need for ever increasing expenditure on the fabric of the church became only too apparent. By 1833 its condition was obviously deteriorating as can be seen from the vestry minutes, when church rates were levied for church repairs at ever decreasing intervals as