Vacation; Morwenstow

Morwenstow church is dedicated to St Morwenna and St John the Baptist. It was appropriated by the Bishop of Exeter to St John's Hospital at Bridgewater before 1291. In a document dated 1296, the church was referred to as an 'old and well-known structure'. Although this is a Norman church, it must have replaced an earlier Saxon structure. The chancel is separated from the nave by a richly-carved screen erected in 1575 by the Kempthorne family. It has a fine Norman doorway.

The arcades consist of seven arches, some of which are semi-circular, and others pointed. They are supported on piers and pillars, one of which bears the date 1475. The tower is of two stages and is finished with pinnacles; it had four bells.

There is an interesting, but defaced, polychrome wall-painting on the north wall of the chancel, which is thought to represent St Morwenna. It shows a gaunt female clasping to her breast, with her left hand, a scroll or volume; the right arm is raised in blessing over a kneeling monk.

Quote from http://www.cornwall-calling.co.uk/churches/morwenstow-church.htm

I couldn't find the wall painting mentioned in the text above, but I do remember seeing it when we visited the church eight years ago.






Normandic font.



Stained glass window with an image of Saint Morwenna.





The beautifully carved ends of these benches are from the late 16th century