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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.

MANATON. St. Winifred. The church consists of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch with parvise, and embattled west tower containing six bells. It was built in the 14th century and the church was restored and re-seated between the years 1874-91. Two chapels are separated from the chancel by parcloses. The rood screen [plate 155], erected in the 15th century and extending across the nave and aisles, is of formal Perpendicular pattern, but contains some good carving. Around the central doorway are statuettes of the twelve Apostles with canopies as at Kenton. There is a good cornice of vine leaves and grapes, and its date is determined by the presence of the Tudor Rose. There is some ancient colouring and the lower panels contain painted figures of saints. Both these and the carved figures have been sadly mutilated, the faces of the saints seem to have been gouged out with a chisel. The lights are surrounded by flowers and fleurs-de-lis. Among the saints on the panels are St. Helena with Latin cross, St. Edmund King and Martyr [ca. 840-870], St. Bartholomew, St. Blaise, St. James the Great, and St. Paul. On the doorway are St. Andrew, St. Gregory and St. Jerome. The pulpit is modern, the font old but very plain.

The registers date: baptisms, 1653; marriages, 1654; burials, 1653.

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Last updated: 9 Jul 2007 - Brian Randell