Plymtree

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 187

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.

PLYMTREE. St. John the Baptist. The present church dates from 1460 and consists of chancel, nave, south aisle, south porch, and western tower, restored in 1895, when the number of bells was increased to six. On the west front of the tower is a statue of the Blessed Virgin and Child beneath a canopy, its high position probably saved it from the hands of the [Puritan] iconoclasts [17th century].

The chancel and nave date from the 14th century, large 16th century windows have been placed in the latter; the south aisle, called the Forde aisle, is 15th century work.

There is a fine Perpendicular rood screen of nine bays [plate 187a], retaining its groining, cornice, and doors; it does seem to have been made for the church, as it does not fit its present position. The panel paintings are in a very good state of preservation, this is probably due, as in several other places, to the protection afforded by high-backed pews. Beginning from the north side, they are as follows:- St. John the Evangelist (this is a half-panel - it has been cut in two to make it fit its present position), St. Anthony the Hermit, St. Matthew, St. Thomas, St. James the Great, St. John the Baptist, our Lord Risen, the other half of St. John the Evangelist. On the doors are depicted the Annunciation and the Visitation, each occupying two panels; the next four panels represent the Adoration of the Magi, then a bishop, St. Catherine Virgin and Martyr, St. Roch and the angel who appeared to him, St. Margaret of Antioch, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary Magdalene, or St. Lucy, an unknown saint, St. Osyth, St. Thomas of Canterbury, St. Dorothy, St. Michael, St. Sebastian, St. Helen. The next figure is difficult to identify; Mr. Keyser calls it St. Romuald, Dom Bede Camm thinks it is intended for St. James, and the vicar gives the same saint in his description of the screen. The figures on the last four panels of the screen are St. Agnes, St. Edward the Confessor, St. Barbara, and St. Stephen.

The three male figures in the representation of the Adoration of the Magi have been said to be portraits of King Henry VII [r. 1485-1509], Prince Arthur [died 1502], and Cardinal Morton [elected Archbishop of Canterbury in 1486]. The Rev. Thomas Mozley, who was one time Vicar of Plymtree [1868-1880], wrote an illustrated pamphlet in proof of this, but it seems extremely doubtful if his theory is correct. The only portrait of Cardinal Morton in existence is the effigy on his tomb at Canterbury [Cathedral]: this has no beard and does not resemble the figure on the panel [plate 187b].

The screen has not been restored, but is in bad repair, and a judicious restoration is needed if only to keep it from falling to pieces.

There are some beautifully carved bench-ends in the nave of 15th century date, and in the south aisle are some pews of the old horse-box pattern.

The first vicar recorded is John Walerand, April 9th 1261.

The registers date from 1538.