Church of St Peter ad Vincula, Combe Martin facts for kids
The Church of St Peter ad Vincula is an old and important Church of England parish church in the village of Combe Martin, North Devon, UK. It might have been built where an even older Saxon church once stood. The church we see today started being built in the 1200s, with more parts added in the 1400s and later.
Since 1965, it has been a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very special and historic building that needs to be protected. A famous expert named Nikolaus Pevsner even called it "One of the best in the neighbourhood!" This church is also quite unique because it's one of only 15 churches in England named after St Peter ad Vincula. This name means "St Peter in Chains," and it comes from a famous church in Rome called San Pietro in Vincoli.
Outside the Church
This church is quite large for a village church. This is because Combe Martin used to be a busy place where silver was mined! The church is dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula, which means "St. Peter in Chains." This name comes from an ancient church in Rome.
The church was built using stone, with special cut stones for decoration. It was first built in the Early English style, which was popular in the 1200s. You can still see parts from the 1200s in the south transept (a part of the church that sticks out) and on the south side of the chancel (the area around the altar) and nave (the main part of the church).
In the early 1400s, more sections were added, like the north aisle, a chapel, a porch, and the tall west tower. Later, in the late 1400s or early 1500s, a north transept was built. The south porch was rebuilt in 1725. The church was also repaired and updated in 1858 and again in 1881.
The roofs are made of slate and have pointed ends with crosses. The west tower, vestry, and porches have battlements, which look like the tops of castles. The tall west tower is 99 feet high and has thin, pointed decorations called pinnacles. It has four levels and strong buttresses (supports) with two rows of gargoyles. There are also empty spaces (niches) that once held statues.
The tower has large windows for the bells and a carved figure of Christ. Inside the tower, there is a clock and eight bells. These bells were remade in 1827 and again in 1922.
Inside the Church
Inside, you'll find two arches between the chancel and a chapel. On the west side, there are two carved spaces (niches) that once held statues. These are part of a beautiful 15th-century rood screen. A rood screen is a decorative wooden screen that separates the nave from the chancel. This one has 9½ sections and is carved in the Perpendicular style.
The figures of Jesus, Mary, and John the Apostle on the screen were carved in 1962. They were based on an old medieval picture. Many of the panels on the screen still have their original painted figures of The Apostles and Christ. These were painted by three different artists, probably as more money became available from the silver mines. These paintings are the only ones of their kind still preserved in North Devon! Female saints are shown on the side of the church where women would have sat.
In 1912, the screen was repaired. In 2009, the church received £45,000 from the Lottery Heritage Fund to help save this medieval screen and its paintings.
The screen that separates the Lady Chapel (a special chapel) dates back to about 1333. New choir stalls (seats for the choir) were added in 1913, and new altar rails in 1914. The baptismal font (where baptisms happen) is from 1427. It's shaped like an octagon and has carved designs. You can still see traces of its original paint! Next to the font, you can see old medieval wall paintings.
The church also has a 16th-century oak chest, which was used for collecting "Peter's Pence" (money given to the Pope). Some damaged pew ends (the decorative ends of the church benches) in the chancel chapel are also from the 1500s. The wooden door to the vestry (a room for the priest) is probably from the 1400s and still has its original lock and a special "sanctuary ring."
A new organ was put in the church in 1905 to remember a former Rector (priest) named Rev. Humphry William Toms. The church has special "wagon roofs" (shaped like the inside of a wagon) everywhere. The one in the North transept is especially pretty, with stars in the middle of its panels. You can also spot two "Green Men" carvings, which are old symbols of nature.
Memorials
The church has several memorials. On the south wall of the chancel, there is a monument for Richard Harding and his family from the early 1800s. In the north aisle, there is a memorial for George Ley, who died in 1716. He was famous for building the nearby Pack o' Cards inn, supposedly after winning a lot of money playing cards!
In the chancel chapel, there is a marble memorial for Judith Ivatt, who died in 1634. She was the wife of Thomas Ivatt, who was an important official in London. There is also a special brass memorial on the south side for William Hancock, who died in 1587. It shows his family crest above some writing. Most of the stained glass windows are not very old, but the central part of one window in the chancel still has some medieval glass showing angels and wheels.
Churchyard
In the churchyard, near the lychgate (a covered gate), is the grave of James Norman. He was the church sexton (someone who looks after the church and churchyard) and lived from about 1844 to 1898. He was the inspiration for a character named Reuben Dale in a book called The Mighty Atom (1896) by Marie Corelli. She wrote the book while staying at the nearby Pack o' Cards inn.
The war memorial in the Garden of Remembrance, next to the churchyard, is shaped like a cross. It was designed by W C Willis and was revealed in 1921. It remembers the people from the village who died in both World Wars.
Images for kids
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Monument to Judith Newman (1608-1634)
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Monumental brass of William Hancock (d.1587)
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The grave of James Norman, who inspired a character in Marie Corelli's The Mighty Atom (1896)
