St Andrew's Church, Buckland Monachorum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Church, Buckland Monachorum |
|
|---|---|
St Andrew's Church, Buckland Monachorum
|
|
 St Andrew's Church, Buckland Monachorum
Location in Devon
|
|
| 50°29′42.8″N 4°7′48″W / 50.495222°N 4.13000°W | |
| OS grid reference | SX 49022 68334 |
| Location | Buckland Monachorum |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Andrew |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Designated | 21 March 1967 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Buckland Monachorum |
| Deanery | Tavistock |
| Archdeaconry | Plymouth |
| Diocese | Exeter |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Andrew's Church in Buckland Monachorum, Devon, is a very old and important church. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is special because it is a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered to be of exceptional historical and architectural interest.
Contents
Exploring the Church's History
The church building is from the Middle Ages. A lot of it was rebuilt in the late 1400s. This gave it many of the features you see today.
Major Changes and Restoration
In 1868 and 1869, the church had a big makeover. An architect named Mr. H. Elliott from Plymouth led the work. They removed a gallery at the west end of the church. The roof was repaired and made new.
Old wooden pews were replaced with new ones made of oak. Some of the original medieval carvings on the ends of the benches were saved. New carvings were made to match the old style. The walls were plastered smoothly. The windows were fitted with clear glass. A beautiful stained glass window was added at the east end. It showed a picture of the Good Shepherd. The church reopened for services on July 8, 1869.
Famous Memorials and Sculptures
The church is also known for its special memorials. These are found in an area called the Drake aisle. Some of these memorials were made by famous sculptors.
- The memorials for George Augustus Eliott, 1st Baron Heathfield (from 1795) and Sir Francis Henry Drake, 5th Baronet (from 1794) were created by John Bacon Senior.
- The memorial for Francis Augustus Eliott, 2nd Baron Heathfield was made by John Bacon Junior.
- The memorial for Dame Eleanor Elliott Drake (who passed away in 1841) was sculpted by Richard Westmacott.
These memorials are like works of art that remember important people from the past.
The Church Organ
The church's organ was put in place in 1849 by H.P. Dicker of Exeter. It was special because you could play it using a keyboard, or it could play music automatically using a barrel. Sir Thomas Fuller-Eliott-Drake gave this organ to the church.
In 1920, the organ was made bigger by Hele & Co of Plymouth. They added a second keyboard. Over time, the organ has been rebuilt and expanded even more. Now, it has two keyboards and 24 "speaking stops." These stops control the different sounds the organ can make. You can find more details about this organ in the National Pipe Organ Register.
The Church Bells
The church tower holds a set of 8 bells. Five of these bells are very old, dating back to 1723. They were made by Christopher and John Pennington. The other three bells are newer, from 1947, and were made by Gillett & Johnston. These bells ring out for services and special occasions.
