Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Kingswear facts for kids
The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury is a historic church located in the village of Kingswear, in the English county of Devon. It sits on a small hill near the train station and the Dartmouth Lower Ferry. From its spot, it looks out over the beautiful River Dart. This church is considered a very important building and is protected as a Grade II listed building.
Contents
History of the Church
Early Beginnings (1100s)
A church has stood on this spot since around 1170. The land belonged to the de Vasci family, who had owned it since the Norman Conquest of England. Early documents from about 1173 show that Willelmus de Vasci and his wife Juliana gave half of their land in Kingswear to a deacon named Ricardus. This gift was for the church dedicated to Saint Thomas.
Another old document confirms this gift. It states that Willelmus de Vasci gave half of his land in Kingswear to the Church of the Blessed Mary of Totonia (Totnes Priory). This was to help support the chaplain who served the chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas the Martyr in Kingswear.
Saint Thomas and Torre Abbey
The church was named after Saint Thomas of Canterbury. He was a very important religious leader who was killed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. Many people felt great sadness and respect after his death. Thomas Becket was made a saint in 1173, so the church must have been named after him sometime after that year.
In its early days, the church was connected to Totnes Priory. The priests who served in Kingswear were monks from this priory. Later, in 1196, Torre Abbey was formed. Walterus de Vasci, Willelmus's son, gave the rest of the Kingswear lands to Torre Abbey. The land held by Totnes Priory was also transferred to Torre Abbey. By 1253, Torre Abbey owned several manors and churches, including Kingswear.
Important Visitors and Discoveries
In 1267, an important meeting was held at the chapel of Saint Thomas the Martyr in Kingswear. The Abbot of Torre Abbey was present at this meeting.
Around 1280, a man named Brother Philip was a witness to a local land deal. It is believed that Brother Philip was a descendant of Reginald Fitzurse, one of the knights who murdered Saint Thomas Becket. Inside the church, there is an ancient stone coffin lid. Many believe it is part of Brother Philip's tomb. In 1755, a historian named Jeremiah Milles drew the stone and wrote down its inscription. It said, "You who pray here for the soul of Philip shall have thirty days pardon as a reward."
For a while, the stone was left outside in the churchyard during rebuilding work in the 1840s. It became worn by the weather. However, in the 1930s, the vicar, Rev F H Keyworth, brought the ancient tombstone back inside the church. Today, it rests on the left side of the Lady Chapel.
Changes During Henry VIII's Reign
When King Henry VIII had disagreements with the Pope in Rome, he passed a law in 1534 called the Act of Supremacy. This law allowed him to close down monasteries and take their property. This included the land in Kingswear that belonged to Torre Abbey.
In 1544, King Henry VIII granted the manor of Kingswear to Thomas Gale. This meant that Thomas Gale now owned the land that Torre Abbey used to have. Torre Abbey was officially closed in 1539. After this, Kingswear Church was placed under the care of the Parish of Brixham. The Vicar of Brixham was then responsible for providing a priest for Kingswear.
Challenges and Rebuilding
Records of the church's early history are not very detailed. However, we know that the church continued to be a "chapel of ease" for Brixham Parish. This meant it was a smaller church used by people who lived far from the main parish church.
In 1604, a terrible plague hit Kingswear. The village was almost wiped out, with 145 people dying from the disease. This sad event is marked in the church's old records. An account from 1755 described the church as an "ancient building" but in "ruinous condition." It had a main area (nave), a side aisle, and a gallery. Services were only held once a month.
By 1847, the village of Kingswear was growing. Money was raised to rebuild the church. The work was supervised by an architect from Exeter named J. Hayward. Most of the church was taken down, except for the original 12th-century tower. The new parts were built using local limestone with freestone details. Hayward used a similar Decorated style and design as the old church, but made it a little smaller.
Church Features
Bells and Clock
The church tower holds three bells. There used to be four, but one was sold in 1767 to buy a clock for the church. The two smaller bells were made around 1599. The largest bell was remade in 1939. When the largest bell was remade, the other two were also updated. All three bells were placed in a frame designed for six bells, with the idea of adding more later. This has not happened yet. The current clock 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 eight-sided font, which is a basin used for baptisms. Some people think it is from the Norman period, but others believe it is from the 1400s. The cover for the font was made in the mid-1900s by a local craftsman.
The carved wooden pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, was added in 1921. It was a gift from Bishop William Boyd Carpenter. The oak choir stalls and seating were also added in the same year, donated by Sir Thomas Leonard.
The organ dates from 1916 and was repaired in 1950. It is now in a special room on the north side of the chancel (the area around the altar). One of the most beautiful stained glass windows is near the organ. It shows Saint Michael and is a memorial to Commander Valentine Gibbs. He was a brave soldier who took part in the Zeebrugge Raid during World War I and is buried in the church cemetery. The church also has a memorial for Lieutenant-Colonel H. Jones VC, who was killed in the Falklands War.
On the floor of the main part of the church (the nave), there are some tomb slabs from the 1700s. In the porch (the entrance area), you can see a framed drawing of the church from 1841. This drawing shows what the building looked like before it was rebuilt in 1847.
The Tower
An Ancient Structure
Even though most of the church was rebuilt in 1847, the old tower was kept. It dates back to about 1173, making it very old! In those times, people usually did not build settlements right by the water. This was because they were afraid of raids by Vikings, the French, and the Irish. Kingswear is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086. However, Coleton, a village to the east, is listed. Similarly, Dartmouth, across the river, is not listed, but Townstal, on a hill to the west, is. Both Coleton and Townstal were on hilltops, safer from surprise attacks.
A Defensive Role?
According to Charles Cox, church towers from the Norman period sometimes had a second purpose: defense. This was especially true in areas that faced many border raids, like Northumberland. However, similar towers can be found elsewhere. These towers often had winding staircases and could be protected by a portcullis (a heavy gate). They also had rooms upstairs with fireplaces, providing living space.
Many of these features could apply to Kingswear's church tower, even though there is no proof of a portcullis. 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 in that area. South Devon also experienced raids from the sea, even after the Norman Conquest. So, the Kingswear tower might have played a role in defending the entrance to the River Dart. The Kingswear tower has a circular stone staircase that goes up to the first floor. Older accounts mention a fireplace on the first floor with a chimney that went all the way to the roof. This chimney still exists today, running from the ground floor to the top of the tower.
