Slapton

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 207

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.

SLAPTON. St. James the Great. A church most probably existed here from early times, the present fabric was built at the beginning of the 14th century; it consists of chancel, nave, north and south aisles with chapels on each side of the chancel, north porch with parvise, and west tower with spire containing five bells, all cast in 1775 except the tenor, which was cast by Mears in 1858. In ancient time the church was attached to a college founded here by Sir Guy de Brian, Knt., standard bearer to Edward III [r. 1327-1377], and one of the first holders of the Order of the Garter. The ruined tower of the gateway is still in existence.

The rood screen runs right across the church [plate 207]. The rood loft and groining are gone. The detail is late in character. The pulpit is modern in the upper part, but is placed on the old base which has been moved eastwards.

The registers date from 1634.