St. Mary, Kentisbeare, Devon
Description
The church of St. Mary is an ancient edifice of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, north porch and an embattled western tower, with pinnacles, containing a clock and 6 bells: an old rood screen, coloured and gilt, and the rood loft stairs remain: in the south aisle is an altar tomb, on which, until Feb. 1858, were male and female brass effigies, the former being in armour; above the matrices is an inverted inscription to John Whytyng esq. ob. March 15, 1529, and Anne, his wife, and at the head and foot four shields, with the arms of Whytyng, Clivedon and Pauncefoot; the parclose between this aisle and the chancel retains traces of colour, and bears shields with the arms of Whytyng impaling or quartering other coats; one of the piers of the arcade also has shields of these arms, and another a merchant's mark and the letter "W"; in the same aisle is an altar tomb with inscription in brass and two shields to Mary (Wotton), wife first of Sir Henry Guyldeford K.G. and next of Sir Gawen Carew, ob, Sept. 13, 1558; the church was restored in 1866 at a cost of £1,300: in 1882 a reredos was erected as a memorial to Miss Alleyne by her father, the Rev. J. P. Alleyne M.A. rector 1854-85, and parishioners; at the same time the east window and another were filled with stained glass, some tile flooring in the chancel renewed and other improvements effected: in 1884 an organ was erected at a cost of £420 by Francis Radford esq. who also gave £600 more for its endowment: a brass to this benefactor was placed over the north door in 1900; a stained window was erected in 1888 by George Dennis esq. in memory of his wife: there are 420 sittings.
Church Records
The parish register dates from the year 1695.
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 Kentisbeare