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Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 136

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.

KENN. St. Andrew. The church is Perpendicular, and consists of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, and embattled west tower containing six bells, all cast by Mears of London in 1826.

The rood screen of thirteen bays is 38 feet long and extends across the nave and aisles [plate 136]. It dates from about 1500. In 1887 the screen was restored and the groining replaced; two years afterwards the rood and figures of the Blessed Virgin and St. John, which were carved at Oberammergau [Germany], were placed on the loft, said to be the first instance of their restoration since the Reformation [ca. 1550].

There is a fine series of paintings in good preservation on the lower panels of saints, Apostles, Evangelists, and the Doctors of the Church, amongst which can be found St. Andrew, St. James, St. John, St. Thomas, St. Stephen, and St. Lawrence. On the doors of the chancel, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Gregory. In the south aisle, St. Sidwell with her head and scythe, St. Scholastica, St. Mary Magdalene, and St. Catherine of Alexandria. This is said to be the only instance in Devon of the carrying out of the correct tradition in placing the male saints on the north side of the central door and the female saints on the south.

The first vicar recorded is Thomas de Wymundham, 1262.

The registers date from 1538.