Bideford Devon
Church of St Mary, Bideford Devon 
In was recorded in 1862 that  “the parish church was and has been for sometime past in a very dilapidated condition, the walls and roofs being infirm and unsafe and the church generally damp, ill ventilated and unwholesome.”
On the 12th January, 1865, the present church, built in Perpendicular style,  was consecrated by Bishop Henry Phillpotts with the rector, Reverend Francis Ley Bazeley in attendance.   
Rev Bazeley had laid the foundation stone for the new building on Easter Monday in 1863 and the silver trowel used  is displayed in the glass case near the pulpit.   The architect was Edward Ashworth and it was during the re-building that evidence was found proving the existence of a pre-Norman Saxon cob and wattle building which is known to have still been in existence in 1232, its c1080 font still surviving.  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/72JZ8f00Ku">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/72JZ8f00Ku</a>
The manor of Bideford is said to have been given by William the Conqueror to Sir Richard de Grenville, a Norman who distinguished himself by his successful invasion of Glamorganshire with his brother, Robert Fitz-Hamon.   
The present church in turn replaced one built In 1259 by Sir Richard Grenville, second son of Hamon of Corbell, , built  over the Saxon one;  which was dedicated by Bishop Bronscombe in November of that year, with renovations &amp; additions taking place over the years, especially in the 15c 
Of that construction only the tower &amp; the holy water stoup in the north porch now remain.  

It consists of a three stage west tower with 5 sided stair turret to north face of 1260 , nave with north &amp; south aisles with attached chapel on north, chancel, north &amp; south chancel chapels, north &amp; south porches
The doors in tower arch are made up of early 16c carved bench-ends.  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/7s44X08378">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/7s44X08378</a>

A traceried stone screen between chancel and south chapel incorporates the tomb of Sir Thomas Grenville 1513; <a href="https://flic.kr/p/y9QRAb" rel="noreferrer nofollow">flic.kr/p/y9QRAb</a> whose family were still patrons of the living. 
On the south aisle wall is a monument with the portrait bust of   benefactor of town &amp; church, merchant John Strange 1646 , four times mayor of Bideford; with an inscription recording  &quot;the former mayor having deserted his duty, he voluntarily took the office, and by his active exertions, and excellent regulations, saved the lives of many of his fellow townsmen, and checked the progress of that fatal malady (the plague)  to which he himself fell a sacrifice&quot;. <a href="https://flic.kr/p/ytEc5U" rel="noreferrer nofollow">flic.kr/p/ytEc5U</a>
The south All Saints' Chapel sits on an area once reserved for the Mayor and Corporation  
The tower topped with a battlemented parapet, has eight bells, five of which were cast in 1722 and three in 1876.

A modern external memorial records the burial of Raleigh, one of the first Native Americans to be brought to England. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/91R1186VTr">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/91R1186VTr</a>

During the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549 an incident occurred in St Mary's churchyard when the Rev Richard Gilbert fell foul of Sir William Coffin of Routledge; the latter was riding by the church when he heard a heated altercation between Gilbert and a funeral cortège who had brought the coffin of a poor peasant to the churchyard for burial. The mourners explained to Coffin that Gilbert had refused to conduct the service until he received the deceased's best cow as payment for his fee. Sir William ordered Gilbert to conduct the service immediately and when he refused Coffin ordered the mourners to bury the priest alive in the newly dug grave. They seized Gilbert and bundled him into the hole and set to filling it with their shovels. When only his head was visible above the soil did they pay heed to the terrified Gilbert's shrieks for mercy and his promise that he would bury the old man without taking his fee.

Picture with thanks - copyright Laveen N Arbrham <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bideford+st+mary's+church&amp;source=hp&amp;ei=RgqaY4qME4_RgQbNpJSADw&amp;iflsig=AJiK0e8AAAAAY5oYVtEI1af_8JxTAtWY-Zp26aL3rBvM&amp;oq=bideford+st+mary&amp;gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIFCAAQgAQyBggAEBYQHjIICAAQFhAeEAoyCAgAEBYQHhAKMggIABAWEB4QCjIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB46FAgAEOoCELQCEIoDELcDENQDEOUCOhEIABDqAhC0AhCKAxC3AxDlAjoUCC4Q6gIQtAIQigMQtwMQ1AMQ5QI6BQgAEJECOgQILhBDOhMILhCxAxCDARDHARDRAxDUAhBDOgQIABBDOgoILhDHARCvARBDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToRCC4QgAQQsQMQgwEQxwEQ0QM6CggAELEDEIMBEEM6BwguELEDEEM6CgguELEDENQCEEM6EAguELEDEIMBEMcBEK8BEEM6BwgAELEDEEM6EQguEIAEELEDEIMBEMcBEK8BOgsILhCABBDHARCvAToLCC4QxwEQrwEQkQJQ3QxYqCBg2TFoAXAAeACAAW2IAaMKkgEEMTMuM5gBAKABAbABCg&amp;sclient=gws-wiz#lpg=cid:CgIgAQ==,ik:CAoSK0FGMVFpcE54S29hRTBZTGRnZTY4NmNCaURWVFNENXIyUG9sT2tuSW10LU0=" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.google.co.uk/search?q=bideford+st+mary%27s+church&amp;amp...</a>
bideford church devon