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Cornworthy

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 71

Transcribed and edited by Dr Roger Peters

Full text available at

http://www.wissensdrang.com/dstabb.htm

Prepared by Michael Steer

Between 1908 and 1916, John Stabb, an ecclesiologist and photographer who lived in Torquay, published three volumes of Some Old Devon Churches and one of Devon Church Antiquities. A projected second volume of the latter, regarded by Stabb himself as a complement to the former, did not materialize because of his untimely death on August 2nd 1917, aged 52. Collectively, Stabb's four volumes present descriptions of 261 Devon churches and their antiquities.

CORNWORTHY. St. Peter. The Perpendicular church consists of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, and embattled west tower with clock and six bells, all cast in 1781.

The rood screen remains to chancel and aisles, the groining is gone, and the screen has been painted brown [plate 71a].

In the north aisle is the old sounding board of the pulpit, with angel and trumpet on the top; the pulpit has been removed to the usual position. The font is circular, has two rows of carving, and is supported on a shaft with spreading base [plate 71b].

On the south side of the chancel is the monument of the Harris family [plate 71c] with the following inscription:-

This worthy Gentleman deceased
This life the seventeenth
Daye of May in the year
Of our Lord God
1610
1611
Here lieth the Right Worshipful Sr Thomas
Harris Knight Sargat at Lawe
And The Ladye Elizabeth His wife
Wyth There Foure Children. There
Eldest Sonne Edward [Here follow
two obliterated lines, apparently deliberately
obliterated.*] There seconde Sonne
Christopher Slayne in the Warres at
Zealand in Flaunder and Their
Eldest daughter Anne married to
Sr Thomas Souphwell- a Knight
of Suffolk. And Their youngest
Daughter Honer Married to
Sr Hugh Harris a Knight of Scotland.

The following inscription is in the parclose:-

Here lies the Body of
Steevin Richman Master
of Arts hee_
dyed the 11th April
85.†

"Reader thou must
Unto the dust
Come here and Lye
As well as j
Till earth be burnt
And the skies
Shall be no more our Canopies."

* Prince gives the words "Chief Justice of Munster in Ireland."
† No century is given for the year '85.

The registers date: baptisms, 1565; marriages, 1568; burials, 1562.

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Last updated: 2 Jul 2007 - Brian Randell

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