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Summary

The ancient parish church of st. Marychurch, founded in the 7th. Century. A deed of bishop chichester, august 15th.1148, gave the church to archdeacon hugh for his lifetime. The church was rebuilt in 1861 except the tower, which was rebuilt in 1872 as a memorial to bishop phillpotts (1778-1869), who is buried in the churchyard. Phillpotts built himself a palace in torquay called bishopstow (now the palace hotel) where he preferred to live. The church was badly damaged during the blitz.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX96NW/13
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (VII to XXI - 601 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

HARVEY, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV10942.

The sheplegh bell, originally hung in the church, came into the possession of the sheplegh family in the 19th century. Last seen in brixham, unhung (harvey).

Whitley, H. M., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV23372.

Episcopal visitation made in july, 1301. The roofing of the church was found to be in bad repair and the vicar unsatisfactory (whitley).

1778-1869, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318173.

The ancient parish church of st. Marychurch, founded in the 7th. Century. A deed of bishop chichester, august 15th.1148, gave the church to archdeacon hugh for his lifetime. The church was rebuilt in 1861 except the tower, which was rebuilt in 1872 as a memorial to bishop phillpotts (1778-1869), who is buried in the churchyard. Phillpotts built himself a palace in torquay called bishopstow (now the palace hotel) where he preferred to live. The church was badly damaged during the blitz.

BELAIEW, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV318174.

Vis=17/11/1952(os) church in process of being rebuilt, the name of "st. Marie cherche is referred to in domesday. A 19th century pamphlet states that norse measurements were used in the construction of the church. Church being 21 ft, or 3 sajenes wide (1 sajene=7 ft). These measurements were used by early norman builders, and are still in use in russia. They were not used by saxon builders. They were brought to russia in the 9th century by the norse and to england after the conquest of 1066 (belaiew).

APPLETON, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318175.

Devonshire marble used in this church (appleton).

REICHEL, 1939, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318178.

The church dates to after 927 and it originally served kingskerswell too (reichel, 1939).

WATKIN, 1922, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318180.

The application of the name whitechurch to st. Marychurch is discussed (watkin, 1922).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318183.

Brownlow, w. R. /18(1886)153-7/the early history of st. Marychurch.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318184.

Oliver, g. /observations on several churches in devonshire/1(1839)184.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318185.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1964)502.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318186.

Osa=sx96nw7.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318187.

Belaiew, n. /jbaa/26(1920)203-204/notes on the russian and norse measurements used by the early norman builders.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318188.

Appleton, e. /tda/1 pt.4(1865)62-67/the artistic treatment of devon building materials.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318189.

Worth, r. N. /tda/7(1875)218/the economic geology of devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318190.

Whitley, h. M. /tda/42(1910)454-456/visitations of devonshire churches.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318191.

Watkin, h. R. /tda/46(1914)344/the use of a norse standard of measurement by the normans in 11th and 12th century buildings.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318192.

Reichel, o. J. /tda/30(1898)307/the domesday churches of devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318193.

Reichel, o. J. /tda/71(1939)338/the church and the hundreds in devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318194.

C. H. Sp. P. /dcnq/2 part1(1902-1903)96/briefs relating to devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318195.

Harvey, h. H. /dcnq/23(1947-1949)27/shepleigh bell.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318196.

Watkin, h. R. /t. T. N. H. S. /4(1922-1926)51-52/tormohun and other place names.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318197.

Griffith, f. /devon's past: an aerial view/(1988)114.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318198.

Doe/hhr:torquay/torbay(10/1/1975)145.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318199.

Des=anon/notes in pf.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV318200.

Aph=dap/hk 1-3/(21/12/1986).

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV326660.

Church of st. Mary. Parish church. Medieval stone tower much restored 1874 with pinnacled parapet, strings, angle buttresses. Body of church rebuilt 1856;61 by j. W. Hugall. Bombed in second world war - much restored. Norman font with carved reliefs. Prominent landmark (doe).

REICHEL, 1898, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV38916.

It is thought that the bishop and canons of the 11th century cathedral church of exeter had a rural oratory in st. Marychurch at the time of the domesday survey (reichel, 1898).

Griffith, F. M., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV8774.

The original foundation of the church at st. Marychurch goes back to the anglo-saxon period, but the church on the site in the c19 was rebuilt in 1856;61 on a much grander scale. The tower was built later, in 1872, as a memorial to the formidable bishop philpotts of exeter who died in 1869. The architect of the church was j. W. Hugall. This church was damaged during the blitz and has since been extensively rebuilt (griffith).

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp1 5086-5087 12-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352279.

The church is visible as a roofless structure.

Royal Air Force, 1949, RAF/58/209, RAF/58/209 Vp2 5109-5110 15-APR-1949 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352462.

The church is visible as a roofless structure.

British Broadcasting Corporation, 2006, WW2 People's War, https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/28/a3378828.shtml (Website). SDV350519.

The bombing in 1943 is described by someone who was inside the church at the time.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 650 (Vol 5) (Un-published). SDV360833.

Inscribed consecration cross, 5.5 inches high, on a stone inside the north entrace to the churchyard.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (Interpretation). SDV361305.

The church, bombed in 1943, does not have a roof on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1949. The building is accurately depicted on the available mapping and has not been transcribed.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV10942	Migrated Record: HARVEY.
SDV23372	Migrated Record: Whitley, H. M..
SDV318173	Migrated Record: 1778-1869.
SDV318174	Report - Survey: BELAIEW.
SDV318175	Migrated Record: APPLETON.
SDV318178	Migrated Record: REICHEL, 1939.
SDV318180	Migrated Record: WATKIN, 1922.
SDV318183	Migrated Record:
SDV318184	Migrated Record:
SDV318185	Migrated Record:
SDV318186	Migrated Record:
SDV318187	Migrated Record:
SDV318188	Migrated Record:
SDV318189	Migrated Record:
SDV318190	Migrated Record:
SDV318191	Migrated Record:
SDV318192	Migrated Record:
SDV318193	Migrated Record:
SDV318194	Migrated Record:
SDV318195	Migrated Record:
SDV318196	Migrated Record:
SDV318197	Migrated Record:
SDV318198	Migrated Record:
SDV318199	Migrated Record:
SDV318200	Aerial Photograph:
SDV326660	Migrated Record: Department of Environment.
SDV350519	Website: British Broadcasting Corporation. 2006. WW2 People's War. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/. Website. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/28/a3378828.shtml.
SDV352279	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp1 5086-5087 12-JUL-1946.
SDV352462	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1949. RAF/58/209. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/209 Vp2 5109-5110 15-APR-1949.
SDV360833	Un-published: Watson, A.. 2007-2017?. Devon Crosses. Mixed Archive Material + Digital. 650 (Vol 5).
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV38916	Migrated Record: REICHEL, 1898.
SDV8774	Migrated Record: Griffith, F. M..

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey (Ref: ACD1748)

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