Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Kingswear facts for kids
The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury is a historic church in the village of Kingswear, Devon, England. It stands on a small hill near the railway station and the Dartmouth Lower Ferry, looking out over the River Dart. This church is a special old building, officially known as a Grade II listed building.
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History of the Church
A church has been on this spot since about 1170. The land was owned by the de Vasci family, who came to England with William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest.
Early Beginnings
The first records about the church date back to around 1173. A man named Willelmus de Vasci gave half of his land in Kingswear to help support a chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas. This chapel was built to honor Saint Thomas of Canterbury, who was a very important archbishop. He was sadly killed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 and became a saint in 1173. This is why the church was named after him.
In its early days, the church was connected to Totnes Priory, a type of monastery. The priests who served at Kingswear were monks from this priory. Later, in 1196, the land and the church came under the care of Torre Abbey, another monastery.
Brother Philip and the Ancient Stone
Not much is known about the church's very early history. However, in 1280, a monk named Brother Philip was involved with the church. Some believe he was a descendant of one of the knights who murdered Saint Thomas Becket.
Inside the church, there is a very old stone coffin lid. It is thought to be part of Brother Philip's tomb. Long ago, you could read words carved around its edge: "You who pray here for the soul of Philip shall have thirty days pardon as a reward." This stone was moved outside during a church rebuilding in the 1840s, but it was later brought back inside for protection. Today, you can see it on the left side of the Lady Chapel.
Changes During Henry VIII's Time
A big change happened when King Henry VIII ruled England. He decided to break away from the Pope in Rome. In 1534, he passed a law that allowed him to close down monasteries and take their land. This included the land in Kingswear that belonged to Torre Abbey.
After Torre Abbey was closed in 1539, Kingswear Church was placed under the care of the Parish of Brixham. This meant the vicar (priest) from Brixham was responsible for providing a priest to serve Kingswear.
Rebuilding the Church
For many years, the church was in poor condition. Records from the early 1600s describe it as "ruinous." Services were only held once a month.
By 1847, the village of Kingswear was growing, and funds were raised to rebuild the church. An architect from Exeter named J. Hayward oversaw the work. Most of the church was taken down, but the original 12th-century tower was kept. The rest of the church was rebuilt using local limestone and freestone. Hayward designed the new church in a similar style to the old one, but a bit smaller.
Church Features
The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury has several interesting features inside.
Bells and Clock
The church tower holds three bells. There used to be four, but one was sold in 1767 to buy a clock. The two smaller bells were made around 1599. The largest bell was remade in 1939. The bells are set up in a frame that could hold six bells, but the other three have not been added yet.
The current clock in the tower was installed in 1897. It cost £124 and was paid for by people in Kingswear to celebrate Queen Victoria's 60th year as queen.
Inside the Church
The church has an organ that dates back to 1916. It was repaired in 1950 and is now located in a special room on the north side of the chancel.
One of the most notable stained glass windows is near the organ. It shows Saint Michael and remembers Commander Valentine Gibbs. He was a hero in World War I during the Zeebrugge Raid and is buried in the church cemetery.
The church also has a memorial to Lieutenant-Colonel H. Jones, who received the Victoria Cross (a very brave award) and was killed in the Falklands War. On the floor of the nave, you can see some old tomb slabs from the 1700s. The porch has a framed drawing of the church from 1841, showing what it looked like before the big rebuild.
The octagonal (eight-sided) font, used for baptisms, might be from the Norman period, though some say it's from the 1400s. Its cover was made by a local craftsman in the mid-1900s. The carved wooden pulpit, where sermons are given, was a gift in 1921 from Bishop William Boyd Carpenter. The oak choir stalls and seating were also donated in the same year.
The Tower
The church tower is very old, dating back to about 1173, even though the rest of the church was rebuilt. In those ancient times, people often avoided building settlements right by the water. This was because of fears of attacks from Vikings, French, and Irish raiders. Kingswear, for example, is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, but a nearby village called Coleton, which is on higher ground, is.
Some church towers from the Norman period were also built to help defend against attacks. This was especially true in areas that faced many raids, like Northumberland. The de Vasci family, who owned land in Kingswear, also had large landholdings in Northumberland. They would have known about church towers being used for defense there.
Kingswear's tower has a circular stone staircase that winds up to the first floor. Older descriptions mention a fireplace on the first floor with a chimney going all the way to the roof. This suggests the tower might have been used as a living space or a safe place during attacks, protecting the entrance to the River Dart.
