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The
Parish Church (Click
here for a poem about the Church Tower)
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The parish church is dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin. It comprises a chancel,
nave, and north and south aisles. The north arcade has five four-centred arches,
with monolith granite pillars; the south arcade also has five arches, three of
which are obtuse pointed, and two obtuse four-centred. The pillars are of
Polyphant stone and granite. The entrances are a south porch and a priest's
door; the north door is not used. The tower is of granite ashlar; it has three
stages and is 99 feet in height, including its pinnacles. The church, built in
1643,
contains six bells which were hung in 1731, and is finished with battlements and crocketed pinnacles
which terminate with crosses. The bells were re-hung and repaired in 1887 when
the tower was also renovated at a cost of £168. Click HERE
for details of the bells. |
The church's main
stained glass window.
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St.
Mary’s ancient Church stands on the footings of its Norman predecessor in the
original St. Mary’s Wyke.
Now, as then, all visitors are given a warm welcome.
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Revd
Canon
Robin
Dickenson
The Rectory
The Glebe
Week St Mary
Holsworthy
Devon
EX22 6UY
Tel: 01288 341134
PARSONROB@aol.com |
On
Sunday 13th May 2007, Revd Rob was one of five new Honorary
Canons installed at Truro Cathedral by the Rt Revd Bishop
Bill Ind, occupying the seat of St. Winwaloe.
A large congregation witnessed this service including a
coach full of 'supporters' from Week St. Mary parish and
beyond.
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On
Sunday 11th September 2005, at Davidstow Church, attended by Bishop
Bill, Revd Rob Dickenson was installed as the new Rural Dean of the Stratton
Deanery.
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On Saturday 30th
June 2007, at Truro Cathedral, James Rugg was ordained as Revd
James Rugg, Curate to the Week St. Mary Circle of Parishes. Many
supporters travelled to Truro cathedral for this special ceremony
conducted by Bishop Roy.
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James
is pictured here, following his ordination at Truro Cathedral, with
his wife Fiona and daughter Coco.
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Revd
James Rugg
4
Market Place
Week St Mary
Holsworthy
Devon
EX22 6XT
Tel: 01288 341089
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On Saturday 30th
June 2007, at Truro Cathedral, George Rowe became the Revd
George Rowe, Curate (non-stipendiary), to the Week St. Mary Circle
of Parishes. A coach full of supporters travelled from Week St.
Mary to Truro for this special ceremony. George performed his
first official duty at Week St. Mary church on Sunday 1st July
2007.
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On Sunday 29th June
2008, at Week St. Mary Church, George was ordained priest
by
Bishop Roy Screech of St. Germans.
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George
was presented with a gift from his many friends. |
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Revd
George Rowe
Tel: 01288
361712 |
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On Saturday 30th
June 2007, at Truro Cathedral, Richard Ward-Smith became the Revd
Richard Ward-Smith, Curate (non-stipendiary), to the Week St. Mary Circle
of Parishes. A coach full of supporters travelled from Week St.
Mary to Truro cathedral for this special ceremony conducted by
Bishop Roy.
Richard
was also in attendance, with other selected clergy, at Week St. Mary church for the ordination of
George Rowe by Bishop Roy, as detailed above.
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Revd
Richard Ward-Smith
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As part of the
Ministry Team we also have the following Hon. Assistant Priests:
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Father
Harold Tucker
Tel: 01288
361712
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Revd
Rob Yeomans
Tel:
01566 781570 |
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Revd Rob Dickinson, parish priest and Rural Dean, welcomed a large
congregation at a service to celebrate the ordination of Gavin
Allan Douglas to the priesthood, at the parish church of St. Mary
the Virgin, Week St. Mary on Sunday 9th July 2006. Those
present witnessed the ordination of Revd Gavin Douglas by Bishop
Roy Screech of St. Germans. Representatives of Week St. Mary
Methodist Church and all eight parishes in the Benefice were
present in addition to many visiting clergy. The
sermon was given by the Army Chaplain General the Revd David
Wilkes OBE, QHC. The organist was John Hopkinson with renditions
from the church choir and an aria sung by Tom Bates. The service
was followed by a lunch in the Parish Hall.
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Photo
(L-R):
Bishop Roy Screech of St. Germans, Revd Rob Dickinson, Revd
Gavin Douglas, Archdeacon Clive Cohen.
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On
Sunday 6th April 2008, the Rt Revd Bishop Bill Ind was host to an
outdoor event at the Eden Project attended by several thousand
well-wishers as he said a final farewell to his Cornish flock.
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Church Wardens
Mrs Lesley Booker - Tel: 01288 341221 • Mrs
Hilda Axford - Tel: 01288 341638
Parochial Church
Council
Secretary: Mrs Linda Cobbledick, Wyke House, Week St. Mary,
Holsworthy, Devon EX22 6XA
Treasurer: Peter Johnstone, Great Hills, Week St. Mary,
Holsworthy, Devon EX22 6XJ
Dioscesan Child Protection Representative
Lucinda Tilley, Burdenwell, Week St. Mary, Holsworthy, Devon EX22
6UZ
The
Parish Church (Copyright)
There are no
remains of the Norman Church but, says Mr. Sedding, “a fair proportion of
unworked stone from the Ventergan Quarry (a favourite stone with the Norman
builders) has been worked into the later walls. The fragments of moulded stone
around the exterior of the east window indicate thirteenth century workmanship,
the window itself being modem. The piscina in the chancel is also of late
thirteenth century workmanship. These remnants, of course, show that a church
stood here at that period.”
We may assume therefore that on the present site there stood first a Norman
Church and afterwards one built in the thirteenth century.
The outstanding features of the present Church’ suggest it was enlarged as
follows. The first addition, late in the fourteenth century, was the south aisle
with its three arches of polyphant stone starting from the west end of the
chancel. Fifty years later, about 1450, the north aisle was constructed with
granite pillars and arches, and to match this the south aisle was extended two
bays eastward. This accounts for the fact that the two chancel arches on the
south side are of granite, while the westerly one rises from a polyphant pillar.
Probably, too, it is due to these alterations that the east window of the nave
is not in the centre of the gable. The last additions were the south porch, with
“parvise,” or priest’s chamber, above it, and the fine granite tower
rising nearly 100 feet from which a superb view can be obtained.
The three double bands of carving on the tower are exceptionally good, and high
up on the west side may be seen an unusual subject, two hounds in full cry after
a hare. This makes one wonder whether even in these days Week St. Mary Revel or
Parish Feast began with a hunt as it does now.
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The Church was thoroughly restored between the years 1876-1881 at a cost of
around £2,000. The architect said that, “The nave and church roofs are in a very
dilapidated condition, and must be entirely removed and replaced with new waggon
shaped roofs,” but, fortunately, it was possible to retain and restore the
line old roofs in both aisles. The “linen fold” pulpit was also restored.
The original mullions and tracery of the windows having been destroyed, these
with the exception of the chancel window were all fitted with new mullions and
fine tracery through the generosity of a parishioner (Mr. C. Winbolt).
There is part of an old bench end, and also a portion of what was once a
splendid chancel screen, fixed to the wall of the south aisle. The entrance to
the rood stairs is on the north side of the Church. In the porch are some carved
fragments which are part either of an early fifteenth century reredos or a
founder’s tomb. The font is octangular and has panels of Gothic tracery, the
Tudor rose, and a fleur-de-lis. |
The Litany desk was made in 1907 from pieces of old oak, which were believed to
be pieces of the old chancel screen. In 1887 the lectern was put in the Church,
and a beautiful stained glass window by Kempe was given as a memorial to the
wife of the Rev. G. H. Hopkins, Rector. The oak choir seats were put in in 1891,
and the organ, the work of Messrs. Bevington & Sons, in 1903. The sun-dial
over the Church door was found at the Rectory, being used as a step to the
“old schoolroom.” The tower screen, the work of Mr. John Northcott, of
Ashwater, was erected in 1912. The Bishop’s chair was given in 1924, as a
memorial to the Rev. S. H. Haslam, Rector from 1900 to 1919.
The re-seating of the Church in English oak was begun in 1926 and finished in
January, 1930, at a cost of £600. Five of the seats were given as memorials of
members of old and respected families in the parish, namely : Badcock, Coles,
Hutchings, Martyn, and Treleven. The carving on the mouldings of the bench ends
was given by Mr. and Mrs. J. Bone.
The heiress
of the Marrais family married a member of the Rolle family, and on the floor of
the present vestry are memorial stones to both these families.
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An epitaph in the
Church to one who died in 1679 is worth recording:
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“Since man’s compared
to an inverted tree
To this bless’d soule that name applied be.
Sweet words, pure thoughts, good works with her endear’d,
Her leaves, her blossom, and her fruit appear’d.
Her pith was Vertue, Charity her rinde,
One verdant branch from her is left behind
Death hath not cut her downe, who rather is
To be a tree of life in Paradice.
Short was her life, yet lives she ever,
Few were her daies, yet dyes she never.
She breathed awhile, then went to rest,
God takes them soonest, whom he loveth best.” |
Rectors
of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
| 1278 |
Richard
De Grangiis |
| 1342-3 |
William
De Helperby |
| 1348 |
Robert |
| 1349 |
John
De Alkyngton |
| 1362-3 |
Richard
Bolham |
| 1376 |
William
Aylsham |
| 1382 |
Ralph
De Pylaton |
| 1387 |
John
Grey |
| 1387 |
John
Gorwelle, LL.D. |
| 1404 |
William
Hals |
| 1406 |
John
Gorwelle, Jnr. LL.B. |
| 1433 |
William
Collyne |
| 1434-5 |
John
Hawke |
| 1460 |
William
Wase |
| ---- |
George
Sydnam |
| 1502 |
John
Halt |
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Robert
Peech |
| 1509 |
John
Mulsworth |
| 1558 |
John
Greynefylde * |
| 1580 |
John
Kerslake |
| 1625 |
William
Langford |
| 1642 |
John
Biston |
| 1643-4 |
Isaac
Rouse |
| 1680-1 |
Joseph
Trewinnard |
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Joseph
Ferdinand |
| 1716 |
John
Turner |
| 1772 |
Thomas
Bedford |
| 1781 |
Edward
Baynes |
| 1821 |
William
Galter Gee |
| 1852 |
James
Saunders |
| 1876 |
George
Hanslip Hopkins |
| 1886 |
John
Dawson Peake |
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| 1895 |
William
Wilkinson |
| 1900 |
Samuel
Holker Haslam |
| 1919 |
Charles
Thomas Whitmell |
| 1921 |
Maurice
Victor Hardy |
| 1931 |
Arthur
Hambrook |
| 1947 |
Noel
Alexander F. Townend |
| 1955 |
William
Thomas Soper |
| 1959 |
William
Thomas Simpson |
| 1981 |
John
Gregory Edwards |
| 1995 |
Ivan
Meads |
| 1998 |
Robin
C. W. Dickenson |
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* John
Granville, who was Rector of Kilkhampton from 1524 to 1580, became at
the same time Rector of Week St. Mary in 1558 and was also Vicar of
Launcells and of Morwenstow. |
(Copyright
Notice)
This extract has been taken from the
book "A ROMANCE IN WEEK ST. MARY" by M.V.H. & A.L.S. published by
Frederick Warne & Co Ltd 1930. "Every effort has been made to trace the
copyright holders and they will be duly acknowledged if they come forward"
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