Townstall, Dartmouth

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 239

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.

TOWNSTALL, Dartmouth. St. Clement. The church [plate 239] consists of chancel, nave, north aisle, separated from nave by three arches, the western end of the westernmost arch resting on a corbel with a carved head, north and south transepts, south porch, and west tower with six bells.

There is a piscina with shelf in the chancel, and another piscina in the north transept. The altar table is of oak, and the top is supported by carved figures of a lion, a dragon, a dog, and a unicorn. On the north wall of the chancel is a monument in memory of members of the Boone family, with the following inscription:- Underneath lyeth interr'd ye bodies of Thomas Boone late of Mount Boone within this parish, Esq, and Dorothy his wife (daughter of ye Worshll John Upton late of Lupton, Esq,) Hee departed this life ye 26 of Jan 1679, in ye 70th yeare of his age. Shee the 9th of December 1657 in ye 39th yeare of Her age, after shee had issue by him, nine sonns and seaven daughters. At his death hee left three sonns and five daughters, of whom John was ye eldest sonn and sole executor, who erected this monument in commemoration of his Deare Father and Mother, in the yeare 1681.

On the north side of the chancel, near the vestry door, there is an aperture in the wall which I should say was undoubtedly a "leper's window"; by the side of the opening there is a stone shelf.

In the floor of the chancel is the tombstone of Robert Holland, with the inscription:- Here lyeth Buried the Bodie of Robert Holland
who departed this life the 16th of November,
Beinge of the age of 54 yeares 5 monthes and
odd dayes;

"Here lyes a Breathless Body and doth showe
What man is, When God claimes what man doth owe
His soule a guest, His Body but a Trouble
His tyme an instant and his breath a Bubble."
"Come Lord Jesus, Come Quickly."

There is also a tombstone of Henry Limbury of Little Dartmouth, who departed this life December 25th 1786. It originally had a brass representing himself, his wife, and coat of arms; unfortunately the brass has been removed. In the south wall of the south transept, beneath an arch, is a male recumbent figure, but there is no inscription to give a clue to its identity. Mr. Worthy, in his Devon Parishes, says it is generally supposed to represent Simon Rede, the last Abbot of Torre [Torquay], who retired to this vicarage after the suppression of his Abbey [1539].

On the west wall of the south transept is a monument with the inscription:- In memory of William Roope of Little Dartmouth who dyed in Bilboa, January the 30th 1666, in ye 6th yeare of his abode there. Beinge embalmed and put into a leaden coffin was after tenn weekes Tossinge on the seas, here below interred May ye 23 Ao Dom 1667 ætatis suæ 35.

The font is old with octagonal bowl, the panels being carved with arches, the circular shaft is short and rests on a deep rectangular base, probably more modern than the font.

There are six bells, originally four, one of which has been recast and two new ones added, and the whole re-hung by W. Aggett and Sons, of Chagford, in March 1909. On the bells are the following inscriptions:- Sit nomen Domini benedictum.
Sancta Katerina ora pro nobis.
Vox Augustini sonet in amo Dei.

The inscriptions on the new bells are:- H. F. Tracey Vicar 1909. Credo in unum Deum.
F. Langmead, R. Row, Churchwardens, 1909.
Magnificat anima mea Dominum. Memoria pie
aeterna. H. F. Tracey Vicar. W. Aggett and
Sons Bellhangers Chagford 1909.

The registers date from 1653.