Church of St John the Baptist, Bishop's Tawton facts for kids
The Church of St John the Baptist is the main Anglican church for the village of Bishop's Tawton in Devon, England. It has been a Grade I listed building since 1965, which means it's a very important historic building. The church is part of the Diocese of Exeter.
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History of the Church
Some old records from the 1500s and 1600s suggest that the first bishop for Devon might have had his main church, or "see," in Tawton around the year 905. A "see" is like the headquarters for a bishop. This area later became known as Bishop's Tawton.
However, by 909, the bishop's see had moved to Crediton, and then to Exeter in 1050. We don't know for sure if the current Church of St John the Baptist is directly connected to that very early bishop's church.
There are still some remains of a small "bishop's palace" at Court Farm, right next to the church. Bishops used this home for many centuries, up until the time of the Tudors.
About the Church Building
The Church of St John the Baptist is built from stone. The main parts, like the tower and the nave (the main part of the church where people sit), are from the 1300s. The church was changed and added to in the 1400s, when the north aisle (a side section) was built.
Over the years, different parts of the church have been repaired and updated. For example, the north aisle was fixed in 1849, and the chancel (the area around the altar) was rebuilt in 1864. More big repairs happened between 1878 and 1882.
The tower of this church is special because it has a unique 14th-century octagonal spire. A spire is the tall, pointed top of a church tower. The first known leader of the church, called a Rector, was John de Okehampton in 1285. However, none of the church building from his time remains today.
Many improvements have been added over the centuries. These include a south doorway, a special room for the choir, and a brass eagle lectern (a stand for reading from). The church also has beautiful stained glass windows and a pulpit (where sermons are given) from the 1800s. The baptismal font, used for baptisms, is from the 1700s.
The church also has a rood screen from the 1400s, which is a decorative screen that used to separate the nave from the chancel.
War Memorial
Next to the church, there is a war memorial. It is also a Grade II listed building, meaning it's historically important. This memorial is made of granite and looks like St Martin’s Cross in Iona, Scotland. It honors the people from Bishop's Tawton Parish who died in World War I. It was officially revealed and dedicated in September 1920.
Monuments and Memorials
Inside the church, you can find some beautiful memorials to the Chichester family. They were an important family from Hall, a nearby estate in Bishop's Tawton.
In the chancel, there is a memorial for Lady Ursula Chichester, who died in 1635. It shows her as a kneeling figure. There's also a tiny memorial for the infant daughter of Charles and Rose Dart, who died in 1652. This memorial has a small statue of the baby wrapped in cloth.
Other memorials include those for Sir Francis Chichester (who died in 1698) and Sir John Chichester (who died in 1669). There is also a stone slab for Anna Chichester, who died in 1644.
Images for kids
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The pulpit is from the 1800s.
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The 18th-century baptismal font.
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The war memorial is Grade II listed and was dedicated in 1920.
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The Dart Memorial (died 1652).
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The memorial to Sir Francis Chichester (died 1698).
