St Matthew's Church, Lee
The Parish Church of St. Matthew or, more fully, of St. Matthew and St. Wardrede, was built in 1833-34 during the reign of William IV. It was consecrated by the Bishop as a chapel-of-ease in the Parish of llfracombe on St. Matthew’s day 1835, and became a Parish Church in 1869, when Lee became a separate ecclesiastical parish carved out of the parishes of llfracombe and Mortehoe.
The association with St. Wardrede is of uncertain origin, but the name is of interest in that it may point to an earlier Celtic missionary influence in Lee in the 6th century. “it is not known with certainty who St. Wardrede was” writes Mr. R. Barnes, formerly of the University of Leicester, who has investigated the matter. He “believes that he was a Celtic Saint, whose name is embodied in the Cornish name ” Tywardreath ” and that the Champernowne family, who were the lords of Tywardreath, as well as patrons of Ilfracombe, were probably responsible for the dedication.” Like many other Celtic Saints he may have been known or remembered anonymously and simply as “Saint”= the holy man, “war”= on or near, “drede”=the beach.
Notable Features
WOOD-WORK. Items of interest, of much greater antiquity than the building itself, include 16th 17th century carved oak panelling, carved choir gallery-front, pulpit, box-pew, front pews and pew ends, carved oak frame to the memorial to Wm. Fisher MacMichael, at one time Vicar of the Parish, and the quaint projecting oak piscina on the north side of the chancel, these Jacobean carvings are said to have been a gift from the squire: see the DRAKE-CUTCLIFFE memorial on the south wall and compare the carved beasts on the choir gallery-front with those on the coat of arms on the memorial. The wooden panel in the small arch (north side of chancel) in the front of the barrel organ formerly in the choir-gallery.
St Matthew's Church, Lee
The Parish Church of St. Matthew or, more fully, of St. Matthew and St. Wardrede, was built in 1833-34 during the reign of William IV. It was consecrated by the Bishop as a chapel-of-ease in the Parish of llfracombe on St. Matthew’s day 1835, and became a Parish Church in 1869, when Lee became a separate ecclesiastical parish carved out of the parishes of llfracombe and Mortehoe.
The association with St. Wardrede is of uncertain origin, but the name is of interest in that it may point to an earlier Celtic missionary influence in Lee in the 6th century. “it is not known with certainty who St. Wardrede was” writes Mr. R. Barnes, formerly of the University of Leicester, who has investigated the matter. He “believes that he was a Celtic Saint, whose name is embodied in the Cornish name ” Tywardreath ” and that the Champernowne family, who were the lords of Tywardreath, as well as patrons of Ilfracombe, were probably responsible for the dedication.” Like many other Celtic Saints he may have been known or remembered anonymously and simply as “Saint”= the holy man, “war”= on or near, “drede”=the beach.
Notable Features
WOOD-WORK. Items of interest, of much greater antiquity than the building itself, include 16th 17th century carved oak panelling, carved choir gallery-front, pulpit, box-pew, front pews and pew ends, carved oak frame to the memorial to Wm. Fisher MacMichael, at one time Vicar of the Parish, and the quaint projecting oak piscina on the north side of the chancel, these Jacobean carvings are said to have been a gift from the squire: see the DRAKE-CUTCLIFFE memorial on the south wall and compare the carved beasts on the choir gallery-front with those on the coat of arms on the memorial. The wooden panel in the small arch (north side of chancel) in the front of the barrel organ formerly in the choir-gallery.