Stockleigh Pomeroy

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 219

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.

STOCKLEIGH POMEROY. St. Mary. The manor of Stockleigh belonged to the Pomeroys of Berry, but they were deprived of it, as well as many other manors, in the Rising of 1549 [i.e., "The Prayer Book Rebellion"]. The church [219a] consists of chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch and a well proportioned west tower with three bells. The inner doorway of the south porch is Norman, the church itself Perpendicular. The stone altar is modern. In the south wall of the chancel is a piscina with drain, placed rather high; the various positions of the piscina in different churches is a guide to the original level of the chancel floor, in some cases it has been raised, in others lowered. The north aisle is divided from the nave by four arches resting on pillars with carved capitals.

There is a large font dated MDCCCXII. There are no monuments in the church. There are remains of old oak incorporated in the reading desk and a remarkably fine series of old bench-ends and some modern, of good workmanship [plates 219b, 219c, 219d,and 219e].

There are some old inscriptions, in the north aisle:- Grace wife of Robert Robearts 8 May 1678.

John Mogridge hereunder doth lie the eight year
of his age. Did die September the 4th 1666.

Here lyeth ye bodys of Willm and Mary son and
daughter of Abram and Elizabeth Mogridge of this
p'sh who dyed April ye 10th 1700 and July ye
14th 1701 aged 6 and 19.

"Our time was short
Ye longer is our rest
God taketh soonest
Whome he loveth best
Wee ware cut downe
In bud and spring
by mercy saved
and freed from sin." Amy ye wife of Mr. Obadiah Foxe Rector of
this P'sh who died the 15th of July, 1683.

The registers date: baptisms, 1602; marriages, 1558; burials, 1663.