Powderham

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 190

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.

POWDERHAM. St. Clement. The church consists of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, and west tower with six bells. The first church on the site was consecrated by Bishop Bronescombe in 1259; two hundred years later the church was to a greater extent, if not entirely, rebuilt by Sir William Courtenay and Lady Margaret his wife.

There is a screen [plate 190] across chancel and aisle, the chancel portion consists of three bays and two half bays fitted between the pillars, in the aisle there three bays, both portions retain the doors. It is doubtful if the screen was made for the church, and it is certainly not in its original position. Parts may be remains of the original Powderham screen, but of the rest it is difficult to give the origin, as the 11th Earl of Devon [1807-1888] was a collector of old carved oak, and it might have come from more than one place. The upper part of the screen was restored in 1853, the groining is gone, and the spandrel spaces filled in with carving; there is a modern cross over the central doorway. The lower panels have paintings of saints, which are obviously additions, but from whence they came there is no evidence to prove.

Against the north wall of the chancel is an ancient recumbent female figure, the hands clasped in prayer, angels supporting the head, and the feet resting on a dog; at one time the effigy was against the north wall of the aisle. Whom it represents is a matter of uncertainty, but it does not, as has been often stated, commemorate Isabella de Fortibus [1236-1293].

On the south side of the chancel is a monument that was originally against the east wall of the north aisle, from whence it was removed to its present position on the erection of the organ. It somewhat resembles in style the Courtenay monument at Colyton, as is in memory of William, 10th Earl of Devon [1777-1859], Harriet his first Countess, and five children.

Over the south door is placed a carving of the Royal arms, behind which are faint remains in fresco of Royal arms of an earlier date. The former were probably erected in 1859, and the latter were probably obliterated when the church was garrisoned by the Parliamentary troops during the Civil Wars [1642-1651]. With the exception of this portion of plaster on which the arms are painted all the plaster has been removed from the walls.

On the top of the screen in the tower arch are placed carved figures of Aaron and Moses; they are coloured, and came originally from Moretonhampstead. The chapel at the east end of the south aisle contains a tomb with a recumbent figure of Elizabeth, Countess of Devon, who died on January 27th 1867.

The registers date: baptisms, 1575; marriages, 1559; burials, 1558.