The Church stands some 35Oft. above
Tunstal or Dunestal as it
once was means “the walled clearing, or homestead on the hill” It is mentioned
as a manor held by Walter de Douai in the Domesday Book. Townstal is a Saxon
word. The manor was previously held by Ansgar in the time of King Edward “it
paid geld for half a hide”.
The church may stand on
the site of an even older Anglo-Saxon or Celtic church.
It is dedicated in honour of St. Clement, Bishop of Rome, whom the
Emperor Trajan sent to martyrdom with an anchor round his neck in the year 96
A.D. He is the patron saint of hat-makers, blacksmiths and anchor makers.
St. Clement is pictured
in the stained-glass window to the right of the North door. His symbol, an
anchor, is on the banner in the St. Francis chapel.
HISTORY
The church is mentioned
as “the parish church of St. Clement, Townstal” in ecclesiastical deeds as
early as 1200 A.D. when it was granted to the Chapter of the newly founded
Premonstratensian abbey of Torre by William FitzStephen (Lord of the Manor of
Tunestal and Norton) for “the welfare of his soul and Isabel his wife, and of
the soul of William de Berchelee’’;
It is interesting to note
that the gift of this church forms a part payment of the ransom of Richard I,
imprisoned in central Europe on his way back from the crusade, as the
Premonstratensian order had been instrumental in effecting his release.
The gift is endorsed in 1224
and 1226 when the Bishop of Exeter makes it clear that the Abbot of Torre must
“maintain suitable Vicars, subservient to the Bishops of Exeter in matters
spiritual, and in matters temporal to the Abbot and Convent of Torre.” The
advowson remained in their hands until the dissolution.
In 1224 it is laid down that
the vicar shall receive ‘‘seven marcs annually and reasonable bequests willed
to him
In 1245 the stipend of the
vicar is still seven marcs yearly from small tithes, i.e. 23 shillings and 4
pence at each festival of Christmas, Easter, St. John the Baptist, and St.
Michael as well as his “Mass Pence and other emoluments which he is fortunately
able to obtain’’. Not one feels a very princely sum, even allowing for the
difference in the value of money in those days for “Hugh the Chaplain,” vicar
of Tounstall.
The parishioners of the lower
town had complained of the distance of the parish church from their homes, and gave
“the very great fatigue of their bodies and of the miry ways’’ as the excuse
for not climbing the hill to church. In February 1286 Edward I who with his
queen Elaenor had spent Christmas at
Nothing seems to have been
done for some years, however, and it is not until 1372 that the agreement was
drawn up, permitting the people of Dartemouth to worship in the new church of
Holy Trinity, provided that they honour the mother church once a year on the
feast of St. Mary Magdelene, by attendance at Townstalle church and the
offering of “a penny or half-penny as is customary”. In1431 Holy Trinity became
known as St. Saviour’s.
On September 13th, 1329 the
Vicar, Richard de Wydecombe, was found drowned. Suicide was suggested, but
Bishop Grandisson, of
On Christmas Eve the ban was
lifted to allow midnight Mass with the ringing of bells and open doors, but in
the following January the Interdict still held.
Unfortunately there does not
seem to be any record of the end of the story, but presumably the mystery was
cleared up and the church life resumed as usual.
In 1405 the Vicar’s stipend
was increased to 20 marcs, about £13 6s. 8d. In addition he is entitled to
House, garden, and “Courtlage,” Funeral Offerings, and “on anniversaries, one
penny, also the Tithe of cheese, butter, milk, geese and pigs.’’ In return,
however, he has to repair all desks and seats in the chancel at his own expense
and provide books for Morning Service—no small item in those days.
As his income was
also subject to what was due to the Rural Dean and payment of “Peter’s Pence”
to the Archdeacon, possibly the Vicar was not much better off than his
predecessors.
The last Abbot of
Torre, Simon Reede, became Vicar a few months before the dissolution of the
Abbey in 1539 and lived here until his death.
After the Reformation years
it is difficult to find reference to St. Clement’s beyond the list of
successive Vicars and the record of Baptisms and Burials. We do know, however,
that in the civil war Sir Thomas Fairfax, en route from Totnes to
THE
BUILDING
The building has
many interesting and unusual features. The present fabric dates partly from the
13th century with some Norman traces. The transepts are of great length, that
on the North being 33ft., and that on the South 3lft. The window in the North
transept has a fine internal arch and in the East wall a complete shelved and
arched Piscina, showing that an altar must have stood there in early times. The
present modern chapel and altar are dedicated in honour of St. Francis of
Assisi, and recently a stained glass window of the Saint was installed in
memory of the Rev. F.R.B. Simpson, for many years a vicar of this parish.
In
1981 the South Transept was fitted out as a chapel of rest, the cost of the
work being defrayed by the Rendle family in memory of their son Alan Thomas
Rendle.
In 1983 it was
decided to complete this as a Lady chapel. The enclosing screen was made by Mr.
S.G. Scardifield as were also the carved altar rail and lectern. The chapel was
duly dedicated to Our Lady Saint Mary and All Souls.
Beneath the window
of this transept is a deep recess with a beautifully moulded arch containing a
recumbent effigy in purbeck stone, somewhat wasted away but of great antiquity,
probably representing Isabella de Linguire, mother of Richard and widow of
William FitzStephen.
The Nave is
separated from the Aisle by a lofty arcade of three arches formed with two
chamfered orders of alternate red and white freestone and springing from two piers
of the decorated style. All the foregoing can be dated about 1318 AD, also the South entrance and Porch of the church.
The roofs are of
later date, of cradle construction and were restored in the late 19th century.
At the East end of
the church can be seen under glass, part of the original stonework, and in the
North wall of the Sanctuary is a small opening in what was the outer wall of
the church. This opening is carved and decorated and must have provided a view
to the original altar from the outside, possibly a “Lepers Squint’’ for
lepers were not allowed in among the congregation for services. It is unusual
in that it is shaped like an eye.
To the South of the Altar is
another shelved Piscina similar to that in the North Transept.
The Altar is unique. It dates
from James I and may have replaced an older stone Altar dedicated in May 1318
AD by Bishop Stapledon of
In the Chancel and Sanctuary
can be seen memorials of the Whitney, Limbrey and Hollond families and the
Roopes of Mount Boone; in the aisle Pallmer and Goldsmith; and in the South
Transept Gibbs. Several of these families were engaged in the
In the Sanctuary are memorial
stone slabs marked Thos.Boone 1679, also Searle and Teage. These, no doubt, had
the figures inlaid with brass but at sometime the metal has unfortunately been
removed.
The memorial to Robert
Hollond consists of a slab of dark marble 8lin. x 44in. with the effigy of a
man in civil dress, a foot inscription and a shield above his head, all inlaid
in white marble. This is almost certainly
“Here lyeth buried
the bodie of Robert Hollond who departed this life the 16 of November 1611
beinge of the age of 54 yeares 5 monthes
and odd days
Here lyes a Breathless body,
and doth showe
What man is, when god Clames
what man doth owe.
His soul a guest, his Body
but a Troub!e
His tyme an
instant, and his Breath a Bubble Come Lord Jesus. Come quickly.”
The font is of Purbeck stone
and dates from the 13th or possibly early 14th century. The lid is of wood and
modern.
It would appear that at one
time there was undoubtedly a rood beam in the fine chancel arch.
A modern carved wooden
crucifix painted and gilded hangs in the chancel
In the 19th
century the church was in a deplorable state of dilapidation and was restored
in 1881 at a cost of some £2,000, by Mr. Edward Ashworth, Architect of Exeter.
Much of the original oak was retained in the roofs and the memorial stones in
the floors retained in their original positions.
The church was
closed for repairs from May 1882 and reopened on the 9th of January 1885.
St. Clement’s owns
an interesting chalice and paten, dated 1764 (George III) of
The vestments and
linen of the church are all modern. In the records it is stated that in 1549-1552 Townstalle owned “one suit of
vestments one cope of tissue and cloth of gold.” These being goods of such
great value that, on their removal, they had to be signed for by all four
Commissioners of the Crown.
To the West of the Church is
a very lofty arch opening on to the base of the tower. This is of perpendicular
character and of typical