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Shillingford
from
Some Old Devon Churches
By J. Stabb
London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)
Page 206
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.
SHILLINGFORD. St. George. The church consists of chancel and nave with continuous roof, shallow north and south transepts, south porch, and west tower with one bell. On the south side of the chancel is a piscina with drain and shelf. Over the piscina is a brass tablet with the inscription:- Near this rest the remains of Henry Palk, son of Sir Lawrence Vaughan Palk Bt, 25 years Rector of Dunchidiock with Shillingford. Died April 17th 1872.
A marble tablet on the wall at the east end is in memory of Charles Savile, youngest son of the Rev. Bourchier Wrey Savile and Mary his wife, who died of yellow fever in Demerara [in British Guyana], February 6th 1882, aged 27. On the north wall of the chancel is a marble tablet in memory of Robert Palk Wielland, A.M., 48 years rector of the parish, who died June 24th 1881, and Susanna his wife, who died November 20th 1861, daughter of William Kennaway, Esq., of Exeter.
Beneath an arch on the north side of the chancel is a granite tomb. On the wall at the back is a brass [plate 206a] with a male figure kneeling at a prie-dieu, and behind him a female figure kneeling with hands clasped. On the man's japon are the Huddersfield arms. The lady wears a gown and ornamented girdle with dependant pomander, she also wears a robe on which are the arms of the Courtenay family; behind her kneels her only son by her second husband, George Rogers, and her two daughters by Sir William Huddersfield (dressed in the same costume as their mother), Elizabeth Poyntz, and Katherine Carew. In the centre of the cover stone of the tomb is a shield with the arms of Huddersfield impaling Courtenay. When in 1630 Westcote visited the church he noted an inscription which was possibly on the ledger line round the table of the tomb, but has now disappeared. He gives it as follows:- Here lieth Sir William Huddisfeild, Knight Attorney-General to King Edward IV and of the Council to King Henry VII, and Justice of Oyer and Determiner; which died the 20th day of March, in the year of our Lord 1499. On whose soul Jesus have mercy. Amen. Honor Deo at Gloria.
Westcote also gives the following:- Conditor et Redemptor corporis et anime Sit michi medicus et custos utriusque.
In a window, above his picture in glass:- Hi tres sunt mihi spes, Jhesus, Maria, Johannes.
On another part of the monument is written:- Dame Kateryn, the wife of Sir William Huddesfeld and daughter to Sir Philip Courtnay, Knight.
Over the head of her picture:- Quæ peperit florem, det nobis floris odorem.
Under both pictures:- Orate pro bono statu Willihemi Huddesfeld militis et Katharinæ uxoris ejus.
These pictures have disappeared but some shields of arms mentioned by Westcote have been preserved and are to be found in the south chancel window.
Sir William Huddersfield built the tower of the church, and on its west front will be found three sculptured panels, very much the worse for wear. On the first is Huddersfield impaling Courtenay, the second shield and label are too much worn to be recognised, the third shows traces of arms as on the first, on the label the word "Spes me Maria" are all that can be discerned. On the left hand side of the tomb in the chancel is a small brass plate with the inscription:- Here Lyeth the body of Mr. John Leaman, Batchelor of Arts, Preacher of God's Holy word in Shillingford St. George, who died the 25th of April 1664.
On the west wall of the north transept is a marble tablet with the following epitaph:-
"O cruel fate an fickle art to me
First smile and then bring me to misery
So we are born and presently we dye
No hour given no reason given why
Here under Whiting lays, troubles now cease
We hope he's gone to everlasting peace." The Rev. Mr. John Whiting Rector of this
Parish died ye 8th of June 1726.
On a metal plate of the tablet are three whiting.
A tablet on the east wall of the transept is in memory of Samuel Abraham, son of the late Rev. Samuel Abraham, who died at Exeter, October 26th 1838. The window in the south transept is in memory of Robert Palk Wielland, who is also commemorated in the chancel tablet. On the south wall of the nave is a slate tablet with the inscription:- Here beneath Lyeth buried the
Body of Mr. John Parr of this
Parish who dyed the 28th day of
February 1670,
and in the 73rd yeare of his age.
There is a font [plate 206b] at the west end of the church with shields bearing arms, on the west side, Courtenay; on the south, Huddersfield; on the north, three fish in a circle, holding each others tails, possibly representing the Holy Trinity; on the east, Huddersfield. The font is probably late 15th century in date.
The first vicar of the church was Walter Durling, 1343.
The registers date: baptisms, 1577; marriages, 1569; burials, 1565.