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Stoke-in-Teignhead

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 223

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.

STOKE-IN-TEIGNHEAD. St. Andrew. The church, Perpendicular in style and dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, consists of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, north and south transepts, north and south porches, and west tower. The chancel was rebuilt in 1867, and retains a decorated piscina. The most remarkable feature of the church is the rood screen [plate 223] dating from the time of Richard II [1377-1399]. The gallery has disappeared, but the soffit remains; the screen is square-headed, and was never intended to carry groining, but probably had a flat coving. The painted figures on the panels have been obliterated.

The old roofs are worthy of notice, especially in the transepts, they are of 15th century cradle type. The arcades are Perpendicular and the capitals are carved. The old rood staircase remains, and there is a hagioscope and a piscina in the transept. There is an interesting brass representing a priest fully vested dating from 1375 and said to be the earliest in Devon. Another brass with inscription in Old French, dated 1641; a heart-shaped brass, dated 1641, is in memory of Francis and Elizabeth Farley of Loddiswell. In one of the porches will be found the old parish stocks.

There are five bells, two of which were hung to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria [r. 1837-1901], and another is inscribed "God bless the Queen 1897."

The registers date: baptisms, 1538; marriages, 1539; burials, 1538.