Hearken! there is in old Morwenna’s shrine,— A lonely sanctuary of the Saxon days, Reared by the Severn Sea for prayer and praise— Amid the carved work of the roof, a vine. Its root is where the eastern sunbeams fall First in the chancel; then along the wall Slowly it travels on, a leafy line, With here and there a cluster, and anon More and more grapes, until the growth hath gone Through arch and aisle. Hearken! and heed the sign. See at the altar-side the steadfast root, Mark well the branches, count the summer fruit: So let a meek and faithful heart be thine, And gather from that tree a parable divine. Formerly, whilst saying service he kept his chancel screen shut, and was invisible to his congregation; but his curates afterwards insisted on the gate being left open. The chancel is very dark. Access to his pulpit was obtained through a narrow opening in the screen just sixteen inches wide, and it was a struggle for him to get through the aperture. After a while he abandoned the attempt, and had steps into the pulpit erected outside the screen. Above the screen he set up in late years a large cross painted blue with five gold stars on it, the cross of the heavens in the southern hemisphere. Near the pulpit he erected a curious piece of wood-carving, gilt and coloured, which he brought with him from Tamerton. It represents a castle attacked by a dragon with two heads. From the mouth of a beardless face issues a dove, which is represented flying towards the castle. This, he said, was an allegory. The castle is the Church assailed by Satan, the old dragon, through his twofold power, temporal and spiritual. But the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Son flies to the defence of the Church. On the other side of the castle was originally a bearded head, and a dove issuing in a similar manner from it; but it has been broken away. This represented the Paraclete proceeding from the Father as from the Son. In the churchyard of Morwenstow is a granite tomb bearing the following inscription:— HERE LIET JOHN MANING OF ... WHO DIED WITHOUT ISSUE ... I AM BERIED IN THE VI DAIE OF AV GVST 1601. John Manning of Stanbury, in Morwenstow, lived in the sixteenth century. He married Christiana Kempthorne. About six weeks after their marriage the husband was gored by a bull in a field between Tonacombe and Stanbury. His young bride died of grief within the year, and was buried in this altar tomb beside him.