Transcript

of

The Legend of Lithwell Chapel

In: Thirteenth Report of the Committee on Devonshire Folk-Lore.
Trans. Devon Assoc., vol. XXVII, (1895), pp. 62-63.

by

P.F.S. Amery

Prepared by Michael Steer

The Folk-Lore Committee’s Report was read at the Association’s August 1895 Okehampton meeting. Daniel Lysons’, Magna Britannia, 1822, vol 6, p. 161 states “There was formerly a chapel at Lithwell in this parish (Dawlish), long ago dilapidated called in the ‘Liber Regis’ that of St Mary Lithwyll. The ruins still remain.”  The report extract, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Legend of Lithwell Chapel. - In the last Report of this Committee (Trans. Devon. Assoc, xxvi. 81) the legend of Lithwell, Lidwell, or Ladywell Chapel, near Dawlish, was recorded by Mrs. Hewett. Since its publication, Mr. Worth has called attention to a curious confirmation of the main facts of the tradition on which the legend is founded. The full story will be found given in choice ecclesiastical Latin in the first volume of Bishop Grandisson's Register, under date of May, 1329 (p. 493), published by the Rev. Prebendary Hingeston-Randolph, who has brought the wicked priest to light, although Mr. Worth is responsible for connecting him with the chapel. The culprit, Robert of Middelcote, after being more than a year in prison, prayed the Bishop that he might be excused for his bad conduct on due purgation. The Bishop appointed Thomas of Stonforde, senior, of Chagford, and Matthew of Crouthorn, bailiff of the liberty of Teygnemouthe Episcopi, as a commission, who on enquiry found that on Monday next after the festival of the Annunciation, 28th March, 1328, the said Robert had committed a rape upon a certain Agnes, daughter of Roger the miller, in the chapel of the Blessed Mary the Virgin at "la Wallen," which is evidently Lawallen or Lithwell. That on 27th April following he had broken into the house of Robert Rossel, at Fonhalle, in Wonford Hundred, and stolen 3s. 4d. in money, fourpennyworth of bread, a horn worth a shilling, and three keys worth sixpence. Between whiles, after the feast of St. Ambrose - April 4th - he had robbed Walter Scoria of a couple of shillings, and also had robbed certain persons unknown, on the high road between Teignmouth and Haldon, "inter Teygnmouthe et Montem de Hayeldowne "; wherefore he is declared to be a common thief. The Bishop complied with the petition, on condition that the purgation should take place in a church, or other public spot. We are not told what became of Robert, but the legend attests the fact that he never redeemed his character in the public estimation. Though his name has long been lost, his evil memory has clung round Lithwell for more than five hundred years, to be now identified. 

P. F. S. A.