Manaton is a village situated to the southeast of

Dartmoor Dartmoor is an upland area in southern Devon, England. The moorland and surrounding land has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Dartmoor National Park covers . The granite which forms the uplands dates from the Carboniferous ...

National Park,

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

, England. The 15th-century church, located in a prominent spot due north of the village green, is dedicated to

St Winifred Saint Winifred (or Winefride; cy, Gwenffrewi; la, Wenefreda, Winifreda) was a Welsh virgin martyr of the 7th century. Her story was celebrated as early as the 8th century, but became popular in England in the 12th, when her hagiography was fi ...

. Three of the six bells in its tower are

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

– markings on the oldest indicate that it dates back to around 1440–1450, making them at least as ancient as the tower. They are still being rung today on a regular basis by the local team of bellringers. Its

rood screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, ...

was carved in around 1500, but as is the case with many old English Churches, the figures, both painted and carved in wood, were defaced during the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and i ...

. Much of the original screen does still exist however, its wood carving having been first restored by the

Pinwill sisters The Pinwill sisters (consisting of Mary (1871–1962), Ethel (1872–1951) and Violet (1874–1957)) were British professional woodcarvers in Devon from 1890 onwards. Although in their era there were women who produced stained glass, sculpture, ...

in the late nineteenth century and again in 1981 by the late Anna Hulbert. A

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies und ...

cross once stood in the churchyard, but was destroyed in the mid-19th century by the vicar, Rev. John Charles Carwithen. He did so because he disapproved of what he considered to be a superstitious custom of carrying coffins three times around the cross before burial. In 1890 and 1892, extensive restoration work was carried out by the prolific church architect George Fellowes Prynne. Prynne's brother,

Edward Arthur Fellowes Prynne Edward Arthur Fellowes Prynne (1854–1921) was a leading British late Pre-Raphaelite painter of portraits and subject pictures, who in later life became one of the country's best known creators of decorative art for churches. Family and Early ...

, a notable late Pre-Raphaelite artist and designer, created the painted panels in the reredos behind the altar. Between 1903 and 1923, the writer

John Galsworthy John Galsworthy (; 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933) was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include '' The Forsyte Saga'' (1906–1921) and its sequels, ''A Modern Comedy'' and ''End of the Chapter''. He won the Nobel Prize ...

and his wife

Ada Galsworthy Ada Nemesis Galsworthy (20 November 1864 – 29 May 1956) was an English editor, translator, writer and composer. She was married to Nobel Laureate for Literature John Galsworthy. Family and early life Ada Nemesis Pearson was born on 20 Novem ...

frequently stayed in a farmhouse called Wingstone in the village. It was here that he was inspired by the nearby Jay's Grave and its legend to write his short story ''The Apple Tree'' in 1916. Manaton was known as the `ton in local dialect.

References

External links

Manaton's home page
Dartmoor Villages in Devon {{Devon-geo-stub

See also

References

External links