St Michael and All Angels, Great Torrington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Michael and All Angels |
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| Church of St Michael | |
Church and churchyard
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| 50°57′09″N 4°08′38″W / 50.9525°N 4.1439°W | |
| Location | Church Walk, Great Torrington, Devon, EX38 8BN |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | St Michael and All Angels |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 19 March 1951 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Great Torrington |
| Deanery | Torrington |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Barnstaple |
| Diocese | Diocese of Exeter |
The Church of St Michael and All Angels is a special Church of England building in Great Torrington, Devon. It is a parish church, which means it serves the local community. Since 1951, it has been a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
The church follows a traditional style of worship within the Church of England, known as Anglo-Catholic. It is part of a group called Forward in Faith. This church also receives guidance from a special bishop, the Bishop of Oswestry, who provides what is called alternative episcopal oversight.
History of the Church
The first mention of a church in Torrington was in 1259. That is when a vicar, or priest, was appointed. However, there was likely an even older church on this spot before then. The oldest parts of the building that you can still see today are from the 13th or 14th century.
The Great Explosion of 1646
A major event happened in February 1646 during the First English Civil War. This was the Battle of Torrington. The church's bell tower was blown up!
The Royalist soldiers had stored about 80 barrels of gunpowder inside the church. When the Parliamentarians captured the town, they locked their prisoners inside the church. Somehow, the gunpowder exploded. Many lives were lost in this terrible blast.
It is thought the explosion came from the old tower, which was in the south transept. It destroyed several pillars and caused a huge fire. This fire burned old furniture and monuments. The church had to be rebuilt after this disaster. The rebuilding work was finished in 1651.
Church Design and Features
The church has a beautiful wagon roof. This type of roof is common in this part of England. The patterns in the window glass, called tracery, were added around 1861. They were designed by William White. The current tower and spire were finished in 1828.
The Bells and Clock
The tower holds a ring of eight bells. Five of these bells were made in 1716 by Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester. They were rehung in 1884. The other three bells were made in 1934 by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough.
An older clock bell from the original tower was cast in 1632. This bell survived the big explosion of 1646! It now hangs safely in the spire.
Inside the Church
The church has a carved, eight-sided baptismal font made of red marble. It was created in 1914. Near the font, in an oak cabinet, is a special wax impression. It is an original copy of the Great Seal of England from the time of King James I. This seal was likely once attached to an important document given to the town. It was repaired at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1929.
The church's war memorial includes pieces of glass saved from Westminster Chapter House. This glass was damaged by bombs during World War II. Around the church, you can see a lovely set of the Stations of the Cross. These were given to the church by someone who wished to remain anonymous. They originally came from a convent chapel.
Monuments and the Organ
On the north wall, there are two monuments. One is for Mrs Penelope Johnson and the other for Mrs Palmer. Both were relatives of the famous painter Sir Joshua Reynolds. He often visited them and even brought the well-known Dr Samuel Johnson with him once.
The Willis Organ is considered one of the best in the West Country. It is a twin to the organ found in Truro Cathedral.
The Pulpit and Carvings
The pulpit has beautiful carvings of cherubs and wreaths, with gold details. It is a typical example of 17th-century design. During a restoration of the church from 1861 to 1864, the pulpit was moved. Its matching sounding board (a canopy above the pulpit) was thrown out. Luckily, it was saved from a builder's yard and given to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In 1960, it was returned to the church on loan.
The Crucifix on the pillar behind the pulpit was carved in 1934 at Oberammergau. It was made by Willy Bierling, who played St John the Evangelist in the famous Oberammergau Passion Play that year.
The rood (a large cross) hanging in the chancel arch was added in 2002. It used to be in St Oswald's Church, Small Heath in Birmingham and was a war memorial there.
Altar Area and Statues
The stone and marble reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) was made in 1878. It has a carved picture of the Last Supper by the sculptor Harry Hems.
To the right of the altar steps is a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. It was carved by French nuns. To the right of the chancel steps is a bronze statue of St Michael. This was made by Mother Concordia from St Mildred's Abbey in Thanet.
At the east end of the south aisle, there is a small Tudor room. This room survived the 1646 explosion. It is now used as the vestry, where clergy prepare for services. This might have been a Tudor library mentioned in old records, but any books from it are now gone.
Chapel of St James
The Chapel of St James is in the South Transept. It is named after a chapel that used to be at Torrington Castle, which was demolished. This chapel was set up to remember Frank Emlyn Jones. He was the Vicar from 1894 to 1934 and later an Archdeacon of Barnstaple. This is also the spot where the original church tower stood before it was rebuilt in the early 19th century.
The altar in the chapel is from the 17th century. The figures on the reredos behind the altar represent different saints. These include St Michael (for Great Torrington), St Giles (for Little Torrington), St Mary the Virgin, St James, St Mary Magdalene (for Taddiport), and St Gabriel.
The oil painting above the altar is a copy of 'Ecce Homo' by Caravaggio. To the left of the altar, there is an icon (a religious image) of Our Lady of Częstochowa. The original icon is in Poland. This icon is here because of a famous court case in 1984. The local church official, David Calcutt, first said no to putting it in the church. But the parish appealed to a special court, and the decision was changed.
The window in the chapel remembers the inventor Thomas Fowler. The border of the window shows two of his inventions: the thermosiphon, which helped create central heating systems, and a calculating machine, which was an early type of computer. Even Charles Babbage, who is known as the "father of the computer," admired Fowler's machine.
Outside the Church
Some people who died in the 1646 explosion are buried in a mass grave. This grave is under the cobbled mound across from the main entrance. A stone remembering the disaster is to the right of the entrance.
The current tower and spire were built in 1828. The old tower was taken down around that time. The new tower was designed by W.B. Cock, a local builder who also designed the nearby Pannier Market. His initials are set into the path outside the South West door.
The carved stone heads near the West door are from the 19th century. They represent important historical figures: Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and Lady Margaret Beaufort. Lady Margaret Beaufort was the mother of King Henry VII. The churchyard has not been used for burials since 1850.
Notable People Connected to the Church
- Thomas Wolsey: A powerful figure in Tudor times, he was an Archbishop and Cardinal. He held the position of rector here.
- Hugh Peter: A preacher and political advisor who supported the Parliament during the English Civil War.
- William Keble Martin: He wrote a famous book called Concise British Flora in Colour. He served as the vicar of this church from 1934 to 1943.
