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Loddiswell

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 148

Transcribed and edited by Dr Roger Peters

Full text available at

https://www.wissensdrang.com/dstabb.htm

Prepared by Michael Steer

Between 1908 and 1916, John Stabb, an ecclesiologist and photographer who lived in Torquay, published three volumes of Some Old Devon Churches and one of Devon Church Antiquities. A projected second volume of the latter, regarded by Stabb himself as a complement to the former, did not materialize because of his untimely death on August 2nd 1917, aged 52. Collectively, Stabb's four volumes present descriptions of 261 Devon churches and their antiquities.

LODDISWELL. St. Michael and All Angels. The church consists of chancel, with priest's door, nave, north transept, south aisle, divided from nave by four arches, resting on granite pillars, south aisle chapel, chapel on the north side of the chancel (the entrance from the transept being walled up, and the chapel now used as an organ chamber), south porch, and west tower with three bells. There are two arches on the south side of the chancel, possibly the remains of a piscina and sedilia, but there is no drain to the piscina. The rood screen is gone, but the staircase remains; it was entered from the north chapel on the east side of the chancel arch; the exit doorway is in the chancel arch [plate 148a] on the north side. There are hagioscopes on the north and south side of the chancel. In the south chapel there is a piscina without drain, and on the east wall there are two memorial tablets; that in the south side has the following inscription:- Memoriæ sacrum
delectissimæ fæminæ Katherina filiae
natu maximæ Gulielmi Langworthy
de Hatch Arundell hujus parochiæ
generosi, filii primogeniti Elizabeth
filiæ natu maximæ Nicholai Carswell
de Hatch Arundell prpiet armigeri
quæ quidem Katherina nupta fuit
Jonæ Pinsint juniori de Bouvie Tracye
in comit Devon juniori, octavo die
Januar ano, dni: 1634 & hic sepulta
septimo die maij tunc primo sequenti.

"A modest maid a prudent wife
And of her sex the grace
Bewailed in death, beloved in life
Doth beautifie this place
The earth may hide and worms eat out
Her corruptible cell
On earth her praise (and without doubt)
In heaven her soule doth dwell."

The tablet on the north side has the inscription:- To the Memory of Katherine daughter of Richard Langworthy of Lizewell in the parish of Widecombe, Gent deceased, and wife to Richard Wood of Coombe in East Allington, Gent, and also of Anne Fursland one of the daughters and Heires of Walter Fursland of Bickington, Gent, deceased, who both departed this life September the 14th 1659.

"Reader behold here lye inter'd together
Whom neither life nor death it self could sever
Yea two at once, the one had marryed heen
Scarce thrice nine dayes, the other has not seen
Twice ten yeares told, Till by a glance of eye
Death both wife and maid in Grave both lie
How soon doth Greenwood shrinke and Fursland wast
And turne to ashes with Deathes flaming blast,
But yet though Death the soule and body parts
It cannot once divide true lovers hearts
Adieu dear soules, for ever live in rest
Love to each other, next to God is best."

In the north transept is preserved the tombstone of Edward Furlonge, of Woolston, who died May 3rd 1616; it has the following inscription:-

"Fear not to dy
Learne this of me
No ill in death
If good thou be."

The pulpit is modern, and was erected in memory of Richard Peek, of Hazlewood, who died March 7th 1867. Over the porch there is a chamber, which has a small opening through the wall into the south aisle, this chamber is entered by a door at the west end of the aisle. The font [plate 148b] dates from the 12th century, and has a carved bowl. The old stocks are preserved in the south porch.

The registers date: baptisms, 1559; marriages, 1560; burials, 1560.