A book of the west. Volume 1, Devon : $b being an introduction to Devon and CornwallBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
A book of the west. Volume 1, Devon : $b being an introduction to Devon and Cornwall
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Devon (England)
Buckfast Abbey, after having been given over to the wreckers,
has been purchased by French Benedictines, expelled from France
in 1882, and they are carefully rebuilding the abbey on its old
lines, following all the details as turned up among the ruins. The
foundations of the church have been uncovered, and show that it
was of great size. It was pulled down in 1806, and the materials
employed in the construction of a factory.
Staverton Church is deserving a visit because of its superb screen,
that has been most carefully restored. It exhibits a screen complete
in all its parts, a thing very rare. Most of these lack what was
their crowning glory, the upper member. Indeed there is but one
completely intact in the county--Atherington, if we except the stone
screen at Exeter.
There are other screens in the neighbourhood; that of Buckland has
on it some unexplained paintings.
The Celt was never a builder. His churches were rude to the last
degree of rudeness. But what he delighted in was wattle-work,
interlacing osiers into the most intricate and beautiful and varied
designs. We may conjecture that our Celtic forefathers did not
concern themselves much about the stonework of their churches, and
concentrated all their efforts on a screen dividing chancel from
nave, which with platting and interweaving they made into a miracle
of loveliness. And this direction given to decoration hung on in
Devon and Cornwall, and resulted in the glorious screens. For them,
to contain them, the shells were built. Everything was sacrificed
to them, and when they are swept away what remains is nakedness,
disproportion, and desolation.
Of the excursions in the neighbourhood of Ashburton to scenes of
loveliness I will say but little. Yet let me recommend one of
singular beauty--it is called Dr. Blackall's Drive. The Tavistock
road is taken till the Dart is passed at New Bridge, then after a
steep ascent the highway is abandoned before Pound Gate is reached,
and a turf drive runs above the Dart commanding its gorge, the Holne
coppice, and Benjie Tor, and the high road is rejoined between Bell
Tor and Sharp Tor. This excursion may be combined with a drive
through Holne Chase, if taken on a day when the latter is open to
the public.
Holne Chase, however, should be seen from both sides of the Dart, as
the aspects are very different on the two sides.
Hembury and Holne Chase camps are both fine, and deserve
investigation. They commanded and defended the entrance to the moor
from this side. Widecombe has been spoken of under the head of
Moreton.
Bovey should be visited, with its fine church and screen and painted
and gilt stone pulpit, and with the Bovey Heathfield potteries.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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