St. Swithun, Sandford, Devon

Description

The church of St. Swithun is an ancient edifice of stone, in the Gothic style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower containing a clock and 5 bells, all cast by William Evans, in 1748: the bells were refitted and rehung in a solid oak frame, and the tower strengthened with beams of oak in 1900, at a cost of £130: there is a monument of the 17th century to a member of the Davie family, and a very curious brass to Mary Carew, only sister of George, first and only Earl of Totnes, and widow of Walter Dowrich; she died September 10, 1604: the upper portion of this brass is in three divisions, representing an arcade; in the centre on an altar-tomb is a recumbent effigy of the deceased, and on the other divisions are kneeling effigies of four daughters, and there are five impaled shields and an inscription: the east window is a memorial to Sir Humphrey Phineas Davie bart. d. January 12th, 1846, when the title became extinct in this line: the carved oak pulpit, erected in 1878 as a memorial, is by Hems, of Exeter: in 1886 and 1890 memorial windows to Gen. Sir Henry Robert Ferguson-Davie bart. M.P. d. 30 November, 1885; Frances Juliana, his wife, d. April, 1882, and to Lady Edwina Augusta (Williams), wife of the late Sir John Ferguson-Davie, 2nd bart.; she died 15 Aug. 1889: there is a brass to the memory of the late Sir John Davie Ferguson-Davie, 2nd bart. erected by Sir William Augustus Ferguson-Davie bart. d. 1907: the church was restored and enlarged in 1847-8, and affords sitting for 577 persons.

Church Records

The parish register dates from the year 1603.

Findmypast, in association with the South West Heritage Trust, Parochial Church Council, and Devon Family History Society have the Baptisms, Banns, Marriages, and Burials online for Sandford