nalamanpics
Church on the Hill
The Church of St. Michael de Rupe (St. Michael of the Rock), Brentor, is perhaps the most striking English example of a church on a height. Today, the church receives several thousand visitors each year. There is a magnificent view from the churchyard in clear weather, with bleak Dartmoor to the east, Plymouth Sound and Whitsand Bay to the south, the Tamar Valley and Bodmin Moor to the west, and the heights of Exmoor just visible in clear weather to the north. Even when the thick moorland fogs descend, this is an eerily beautiful place, as the wind whips shreds of cloud past the hill.
The church stands 1,110 feet above sea level on an ancient, extinct, volcanic cone. It is an ancient site – the current church is surrounded by an Iron Age earth-walled hill-fort (150BC – 50AD).
One version of why the church was built their tells that far back in the distant times there was a settlement at the bottom of the tor. The inhabitants were pagans and worshipped the Devil. Eventually they decided they would build a church and become Christians. The site for this new edifice was to be at the bottom of the tor. Obviously the Prince of Darkness was none too happy to be losing his followers and so he waited until the church was finished and then went into action. The following morning the villagers awoke to find an empty churchless void. Downhearted but not defeated they decided that the following day they would rebuild their little church. The breaking dawn saw them rising from their homes prepared to begin the work of rebuilding the church. As they approached the tor they noticed that the Devil had put the original church back but not at the bottom of the tor as they had planned but he had perched it precariously on the top. After much deliberation they decided to leave it there and that they would endure the steep climb to the top. A messenger was sent to Exeter to ask the Bishop to come and dedicate the church. A few days later he arrived and the church was dedicated to St. Michael. This particular saint was chosen because St. Michael held the hilltops in his care. After the service one very angry Evil One appeared and confronted the assembly threatening various dire acts of retribution. During his wrathful tirade a bright light descended from the sky and the Archangel St. Michael appeared and confronted the Devil. A mighty battle ensued and St. Michael slung the Devil off the tor onto the rocks below. Then picking up a heavy boulder he hurled it down on to the Devil. Mortally wounded the Devil disappeared never to be seen again. However the big boulder that St. Michael threw still sits below the tor (see ill. 20 here) ? This version is dated to the 12th century. www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/brentor.htm
Church on the Hill
The Church of St. Michael de Rupe (St. Michael of the Rock), Brentor, is perhaps the most striking English example of a church on a height. Today, the church receives several thousand visitors each year. There is a magnificent view from the churchyard in clear weather, with bleak Dartmoor to the east, Plymouth Sound and Whitsand Bay to the south, the Tamar Valley and Bodmin Moor to the west, and the heights of Exmoor just visible in clear weather to the north. Even when the thick moorland fogs descend, this is an eerily beautiful place, as the wind whips shreds of cloud past the hill.
The church stands 1,110 feet above sea level on an ancient, extinct, volcanic cone. It is an ancient site – the current church is surrounded by an Iron Age earth-walled hill-fort (150BC – 50AD).
One version of why the church was built their tells that far back in the distant times there was a settlement at the bottom of the tor. The inhabitants were pagans and worshipped the Devil. Eventually they decided they would build a church and become Christians. The site for this new edifice was to be at the bottom of the tor. Obviously the Prince of Darkness was none too happy to be losing his followers and so he waited until the church was finished and then went into action. The following morning the villagers awoke to find an empty churchless void. Downhearted but not defeated they decided that the following day they would rebuild their little church. The breaking dawn saw them rising from their homes prepared to begin the work of rebuilding the church. As they approached the tor they noticed that the Devil had put the original church back but not at the bottom of the tor as they had planned but he had perched it precariously on the top. After much deliberation they decided to leave it there and that they would endure the steep climb to the top. A messenger was sent to Exeter to ask the Bishop to come and dedicate the church. A few days later he arrived and the church was dedicated to St. Michael. This particular saint was chosen because St. Michael held the hilltops in his care. After the service one very angry Evil One appeared and confronted the assembly threatening various dire acts of retribution. During his wrathful tirade a bright light descended from the sky and the Archangel St. Michael appeared and confronted the Devil. A mighty battle ensued and St. Michael slung the Devil off the tor onto the rocks below. Then picking up a heavy boulder he hurled it down on to the Devil. Mortally wounded the Devil disappeared never to be seen again. However the big boulder that St. Michael threw still sits below the tor (see ill. 20 here) ? This version is dated to the 12th century. www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/brentor.htm