|
Parish Church of:
Morwenstow
The church of St. Morwenna, situated on a knoll between two eminences which open towards the sea, is a curious edifice of stone partly Norman, and consisting of chancel, nave of five bays, aisles and an embattled western tower, with crocketed pinnacles, containing 4 bells, all cast in 1753: the fine Norman doorway of the south porch exhibits the zig zag ornament with a string of roses upheld by two animals; on the crown of the arch is a group of figures resembling dragons, with a chain issuing from their mouths and entwining a lamb; the inner arch is ornamented with a profusion of figures and nearly corresponds to that at Kilkhampton: the benches, which have carved ends, date from 1568: the stained east window is the gift of Lord and Lady Clinton: the chancel retains an arched recess, surmounted by a cross: the font is an irregularly shaped cylinder of stone, with a cable moulding round the centre and stands on a square base: in the chancel is a monument to the
Rev. Oliver Rouse, forty years vicar of this parish, d. 1781, and there are several to the Hammett, Langford, Loveday and other families. The church of Morwenstow was appropriated to the monastery of Bridgewater and afterwards separated by Henry VIII, who granted it to Richard Grenville, of Stowe, and his heirs; Lord Clinton is lay impropriator, but the tithes of hay, together with the great tithes of Stanbury, belong to the vicar. A chapel dedicated to the Virgin, was licensed at Milton, in this parish in 1408: more then 40 sailors were buried here by the later vicar, and the graves of some are marked by the figure-head of the Brig "Caledonia". The church was restored in 1883 at a cost of £500, when a new roof was fixed, the flooring renewed and the benches restored, the old carved bench ends being retained: a new vestry was added in 1887: there are 500 sittings. The register dates from the year 1558 and is very perfect.
Links:
|
