St Peter's Church, Lewtrenchard

St Peter's Church, Lewtrenchard
St Peter's Church, Lewtrenchard
St Peter's Church, Lewtrenchard Location within Devon
50°39′15″N4°11′02″W / 50.65420°N 4.18394°W / 50.65420; -4.18394
Location	Lewtrenchard
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
History
Dedication	Saint Peter
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I listed [1]
Designated	7 November 1985
Style	Gothic
Administration
Province	Canterbury
Diocese	Exeter
Archdeaconry	Plymouth
Deanery	Tavistock
Parish	Lewtrenchard
Clergy
Vicar(s)	Reverend Philip Conway
Laity
Churchwarden(s)	Anne Westlake

St Peter's Church, Lewtrenchard is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in Lewtrenchard, Devon. ^{[2] [3]}

The renowned antiquarian Sabine Baring-Gould was the local squire and the rector between 1881 and 1924. ^[2]

History

The original church on the site was dedicated to Saint Petroc, but no trace of this church remains. ^[4] The surviving church's west wall contains remnants of a 1261 construction, but the rest of the church was rebuilt in Perpendicular Gothic style in 1520. ^[4]

Sabine Baring-Gould inherited the manor of Lewtrenchard in 1872. When the living became vacant in 1881, he appointed himself as the parson. He carrief out extensive restorations of the church over the remainder of his life. ^[2]

Architecture

The church is built of stone rubble with a slate roof and Dartmoor 'broad and narrow' quoins. ^[2]

The church is largely of late 15th century and early 16th century construction, with considerable rebuilding and restoration, especially by Sabine Baring-Gould, whose noted criticisms of most contemporary restoration make his work at his own church of especial interest. ^[2]

Baring-Gould installed various church furnishings he collected from his travels across Europe. ^[4]

The rood screen at St Peter's Church, Lewtrenchard

The pulpit and the rood screen in the church were carved by the Pinwill sisters. ^{[5] [6]}

A 21st century extension was built by the church to provide a meeting room, a vestry, and a kitchen. ^[7]

Memorials

There are monuments to Sabine Baring-Gould and his wife Grace in the churchyard. ^[4]

Current day

The church is part of the benefice of Lifton. ^[8]

Events are sometimes organised in the church by the Lewtrenchard Women's Institute. ^[9]

References

1. Historic England. "Parish Church of St Peter (Grade I) (1326326)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 22 February 2025.
2. "PARISH CHURCH OF ST PETER, Lewtrenchard - 1326326 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
3. "St Peter". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
4. "Lewtrenchard". greatenglishchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
5. Warner, Marina (30 March 2023). "The Pinwill Sisters". 19: Interdisciplinary Studies in the Long Nineteenth Century. 2023 (34). doi: 10.16995/ntn.8826 . ISSN   1755-1560.
6. "Lew Trenchard – The Remarkable Pinwill Sisters". pinwillsisters.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 November 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
7. "New extension for historic church". Tavistock Times. 25 June 2008.
8. "North Tamar Churches – The Lifton Benefice". north-tamar-churches.org. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
9. "Lewtrenchard author's floral tribute". Tavistock Times Gazette. 10 September 2024. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2025.