Heanton Punchardon, Devon
Church of St. Augustine, Heanton Punchardon Devon overlooks the Taw & Torridge estuary with views to Lundy and Hartland . The village is partly named after Robert de Pont-Chardon who came over with William the Conqueror and held the tenancy of "Hantone" from Baldwin de Meules "the Sheriff" - His descendants in the direct male line were here until the end of the 13c, when Sir John Punchardon divided his estates between his 3 daughters when it came by marriage to the Beaumont family whose heiress later carried it again by marriage to the Bassetts of Heanton Hall. They stayed until 1852 when they sold the estate to Sir William Williams
It is believed there has been a church on this site since the 11c or 12c. . - Curiously there is an account in the patent rolls of 1281 - 1292 that there was a fire here c1285 which must have been a very serious affair, if we may judge from the fact that some 90 persons were charged with arson and robbery. The names of the prisoners which included the parson of the church and other clergy - The conflagration was an outcome of the feud between Bishop Quivel (?) and John Pycot who claimed to be Dean of Exeter, which resulted in the murder of Walter de Lechlade, the Precentor.
The present building is of 13c origins, but mostly 14c Early English. The tower and aisle are of coursed dressed stone with some laced stone in 2nd tower stage. Nave, chancel, south and north porches are of random rubble
It consists of chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch, and embattled three stage west tower with internal stair turret on the north side, containing 6 bells cast in 1829 in Bideford. The treble was recast when the church & tower were restored and the bells rehung in 1889-90 at the expense of Sir William Williams
Nave and chancel probably incorporate earlier fabric but both heavily remodelled in late 15c / early 16c when the west tower and north aisle were added. Windows in north aisle suggest possibly early 17c refenestration and 1675 datestone below east window may indicate rebuilding of gable end wall of chancel. North aisle arcade rebuilt and piers remodelled in 18c & early 19c . Nave and chancel refenestrated in 19c .
The nave and chancel are separated by a richly carved screen which has been restored, but a good deal of the original work remains.
The earliest survivors are the Norman font www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/7Wb8252367 & ancient south plank door www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/8hZ12WsE2r
In the chancel as requested in his will is the finely carved tomb surmounted by a rich canopy of Richard Coffin 1523 who was master of the Horse for Henry Vlll. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/8vBQ3f9eAh This may have also been used as an Easter Sepulchre. There are also here two wall monuments to the Ballyman / Bellarmine family.
The chapel on the north side of the chancel contains several monuments to 4 generations of the 17c & 18c Bassetts www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/Qra12VUeaS
The vestry is not open to the public but considered to be part of a very early church, one where the incumbent lived 'above the shop'. The evidence of an upper floor is still easily seen. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/5ks082X4K6 The date 1704 is written in the plaster of a filled in fireplace that once heated the upper floor. No external access route to the upper floor has been found, so this may have been internally by ladder. !
The registers date: baptisms, 1657; marriages, 1559; burials, 1559.
There is a strong musical tradition. There is a robed, four part choir of 12 which helps to lead the music in worship. Most Sundays there is an organist or else a laptop system of recorded music or CDs with hymns projected onto screens.
Previously before the introduction of an harmonium in 1868, worship was lead by a choir of about twelve boys and girls with an adult leader, accompanied by a small band of a fiddle, clarinet and trombone. The band sat in the gallery at the west end of the church, concealed by curtains until the hymn was announced.
In 1954 the harmonium was replaced by the present organ, installed in memory of rector Rev. Arthur Desmond Shaw.
Additional to the organ now, a keyboard is sometimes used and occasionally a guitar.
During World War II, the parish churchyard was enlarged to accommodate a war graves plot on new ground. It now contains two burials of the First World War and 85 from the Second World War. It also has 38 post-war Royal Air Force burials and one Italian war grave. In total it has 126 active military personnel graves - all maintained by the War Graves Commission. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/nbsW36okpi
lobsterthermidor CCL commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StAugustine%27sChurch_Hea...
Heanton Punchardon, Devon
Church of St. Augustine, Heanton Punchardon Devon overlooks the Taw & Torridge estuary with views to Lundy and Hartland . The village is partly named after Robert de Pont-Chardon who came over with William the Conqueror and held the tenancy of "Hantone" from Baldwin de Meules "the Sheriff" - His descendants in the direct male line were here until the end of the 13c, when Sir John Punchardon divided his estates between his 3 daughters when it came by marriage to the Beaumont family whose heiress later carried it again by marriage to the Bassetts of Heanton Hall. They stayed until 1852 when they sold the estate to Sir William Williams
It is believed there has been a church on this site since the 11c or 12c. . - Curiously there is an account in the patent rolls of 1281 - 1292 that there was a fire here c1285 which must have been a very serious affair, if we may judge from the fact that some 90 persons were charged with arson and robbery. The names of the prisoners which included the parson of the church and other clergy - The conflagration was an outcome of the feud between Bishop Quivel (?) and John Pycot who claimed to be Dean of Exeter, which resulted in the murder of Walter de Lechlade, the Precentor.
The present building is of 13c origins, but mostly 14c Early English. The tower and aisle are of coursed dressed stone with some laced stone in 2nd tower stage. Nave, chancel, south and north porches are of random rubble
It consists of chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch, and embattled three stage west tower with internal stair turret on the north side, containing 6 bells cast in 1829 in Bideford. The treble was recast when the church & tower were restored and the bells rehung in 1889-90 at the expense of Sir William Williams
Nave and chancel probably incorporate earlier fabric but both heavily remodelled in late 15c / early 16c when the west tower and north aisle were added. Windows in north aisle suggest possibly early 17c refenestration and 1675 datestone below east window may indicate rebuilding of gable end wall of chancel. North aisle arcade rebuilt and piers remodelled in 18c & early 19c . Nave and chancel refenestrated in 19c .
The nave and chancel are separated by a richly carved screen which has been restored, but a good deal of the original work remains.
The earliest survivors are the Norman font www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/7Wb8252367 & ancient south plank door www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/8hZ12WsE2r
In the chancel as requested in his will is the finely carved tomb surmounted by a rich canopy of Richard Coffin 1523 who was master of the Horse for Henry Vlll. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/8vBQ3f9eAh This may have also been used as an Easter Sepulchre. There are also here two wall monuments to the Ballyman / Bellarmine family.
The chapel on the north side of the chancel contains several monuments to 4 generations of the 17c & 18c Bassetts www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/Qra12VUeaS
The vestry is not open to the public but considered to be part of a very early church, one where the incumbent lived 'above the shop'. The evidence of an upper floor is still easily seen. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/5ks082X4K6 The date 1704 is written in the plaster of a filled in fireplace that once heated the upper floor. No external access route to the upper floor has been found, so this may have been internally by ladder. !
The registers date: baptisms, 1657; marriages, 1559; burials, 1559.
There is a strong musical tradition. There is a robed, four part choir of 12 which helps to lead the music in worship. Most Sundays there is an organist or else a laptop system of recorded music or CDs with hymns projected onto screens.
Previously before the introduction of an harmonium in 1868, worship was lead by a choir of about twelve boys and girls with an adult leader, accompanied by a small band of a fiddle, clarinet and trombone. The band sat in the gallery at the west end of the church, concealed by curtains until the hymn was announced.
In 1954 the harmonium was replaced by the present organ, installed in memory of rector Rev. Arthur Desmond Shaw.
Additional to the organ now, a keyboard is sometimes used and occasionally a guitar.
During World War II, the parish churchyard was enlarged to accommodate a war graves plot on new ground. It now contains two burials of the First World War and 85 from the Second World War. It also has 38 post-war Royal Air Force burials and one Italian war grave. In total it has 126 active military personnel graves - all maintained by the War Graves Commission. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/nbsW36okpi
lobsterthermidor CCL commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StAugustine%27sChurch_Hea...