Churches of the British Isles

St Gabriel's Chapel was relocated to Clyst St Mary in 1311 from the Bishop's Palace (and now court - see above). The Clyst St Mary chapel stood on the eastern side of today's Manor Park road, about where Nos 3-4 Manor Park now stand and directly opposite the Londis store seen here on the south side of Bishops' Clyst. A medieval hospital grew up around the chapel but any remnant was swept away by housing construction in the 1960s.

The Church of St Mary Winslade Park sits at the approximate centre of the Winslade Park and grounds, a short way to the south-east of Clyst St Mary itself. The large house here was built on the site of Clyst House. This area was the site of one of the decisive battles of the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549, in which West Country resistance to the Protestant Reformation was finally quashed. The building is cruciform in layout, outwardly of blocked stucco with a slate roof.

The building's origins may rest in the thirteenth century, with fifteenth century additions and expansions. The transepts were added in 1818. Further extensions were added in 1840, with the transepts being lengthened in 1870. In fact the 1870 work saw the church being almost wholly rebuilt. Afterwards it was described as 'the dullest Victorian work'. Yet more work was carried out in 1895-1896, this time internally, so that the south transept became the chancel.

The Church of St Petrock & St Barnabas Farringdon is to be found on the east side of Upham Lane, immediately south of Wood's Farm. Farringdon lies a few kilometres to the east of Clyst St Mary (above), and a short way north of the A3052 at Farringdon Cross. The list of the church's incumbents dates from 1280. That medieval church was entirely destroyed by fire in 1880, except for the tower base. It was rebuilt between 1883-1887 as a faithful copy of the original.

Research material also states 1870 for the rebuilding. The work was carried out by William White, reusing some of the old masonry. The tower retained its original stage, with an 'un-Devonian' broach spire being added on top. Even surviving late thirteenth century details bear signs of White's 'improvements', notably the the boldly louvred belfry. Only St Peter Washford Pyne carries similar belfry work in Devon. The church interior is faced with stencilled red brick.

Photos on this page kindly contributed by Robert Slack, Lazy South's Travels, JMC4 - Church Explorer and John Reeves, all via the 'History Files: Churches of the British Isles' Flickr group.