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© Copyright Philip Halling
Stoke Fleming Church
Stoke Fleming Church
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© Copyright Joan Lloyd
St Georges Dittisham
St Georges Dittisham
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© Copyright Gordon Griffiths
St Thomas Kingswear
St Thomas Kingswear
Beautiful villages surround Dartmouth and most of them have stunning and interesting churches.
Stoke Fleming has St Peters – a marvellous and beautiful church overlooking the sea. It is thought there has been a church there since before the Norman conquest, but the majority of the current church dates from the 13th Century.
Like many churches across the country, the original church was expanded and adapted to accommodate more worshippers – in both the 14th and 15th Centuries. The grandly named J.B. St. Aubyn renovated it again in 1871.
Aside from some beautiful marble spelling out the commandments, two interesting carved lecterns and a Norman font in pink sandstone, the church is notable for the memorial brass dedicated to Elias Newcomen, grandfather of Thomas - the man who invented the steam engine and started the Industrial Revolution.
In recent years, the community has taken a fully active role (as it always will have done) in the church’s upkeep. The highly popular Christmas Tree festival raises funds for both the church and an annually nominated charity each Christmas and it is a magical festive treat each year.
The village on the other side of Dart Harbour, Kingswear, boasts a church with a connection to one of the most dramatic tales in the history of the British church – the assassination of Thomas A Beckett.
The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Kingswear, is named after the old Archbishop who had stood up to the King and who also happened to be his former employer and firm friend.
He was made a saint after he was cut down in 1170 by four Knights who thought they were fulfilling the wishes of King Henry II – who reportedly had screamed “who will rid me of this turbulent priest?” when told of Thomas’ disobedience. Henry was a king famous for the enemies he made – not least all his children and his wife who went to war against him, repeatedly.
Kingswear’s church was actually started in 1170, the year of Thomas’ death, so it’s unclear if it was built to mark the death, or was going to be built anyway and was simply named in his honour.
After his murder in his own cathedral, Thomas’ veneration by mourners quickly acquired the status of a cult. The reaction of the Catholic world in general meant many pilgrims came from Europe to see the shrine to his memory and often they would land in Kingswear. One of the more interesting myths about the place is its priest was at one time a descendant of one of the Knights who killed Beckett.
The church was neglected and fell into almost complete disrepair. A massive effort was made in 1841 to rebuild it, and all but the original tower had to be demolished.
It was rebuilt in local stone and has been a source of pride ever since. Its clock was paid for by villagers in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The church has continued to receive the support of its villagers, including one famous occasion when Reg Little asked Prince Philip to donate a plaster cast from a broken wrist the Prince had suffered as a raffle prize to raise funds for the repair of the church roof. The plan worked like a dream and inadvertently brought Reg closer to members of his own family. The story was picked up by media around the world (who clearly loved the headline “Prince’s Cast Off Raises Funds for Charity”) and the story was seen by Reg’s distant relatives in Australia, who got in touch!
St George’s Church in Dittisham is named for a Greek soldier, born in Palestine, who fought for the Roman army. His dragon-fighting exploits have seen him become the patron Saint of England, but he was sainted for his refusal to renounce Christ to the Emperor Diocletion in 303AD. The dragon came from Eastern Orthodox Art showing him fighting a dragon in which the dragon represents the Roman Empire. Crusaders brought back the image and the myth began to grow, until now, when that is all we remember him for.
It’s thought there’s been a chapel in Dittisham since at least 1050 AD if not before. It was in place long enough that in 1328 the Bishop of Exeter demanded an enquiry into how it had been neglected and allowed to fall into ruin.
The Rector, Sir Richard de Gormersale was charged with rebuilding and enhancing the church. The work was completed in five years. The Church was reopened and dedicated to St. George by Bishop Grandisson on October 4 1333.
The church has seen renovations and additions over the years, in the 15th century, twice in the 19th and in the 20th too. Augustus Pugin, who, among a huge body of work (produced in just two decades before his untimely death) was also the main designer on the Palace of Westminster, designed the windows over the North aisle.
Its peal of six bells were recast, retuned and rededicated in 1949 to commemorate those who had fought in the two World Wars.
What have these churches got in common? On the face of it, other than the fact they are churches, not much. But they are all at the heart of their respective communities, and have managed to remain a vital part in the lives of all who make these beautiful places their home.
First published May/June 2013 By The Dart