Cornwood Devon
Church of St Michael &amp; All Angels, Cornwood Devon built of granite on the site of an earlier building on the highest point of a low ridge overlooking the old village which, 700-800 years ago, would have consisted of a straggle of cob and thatched cottages together with 10 outlying farms.
It was first mentioned in the first Diocesan Register of 1257, the rector being John de Langford 
Overseeing a large parish which contained 4 large great houses and their estates.   Three of these were manors mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book - Cornwood (the present Delamore estate), Blachford and Fardel.   The fourth house, Slade, was in existence in the reign of Edward I and was important enough to be shown on its own on the first map of the County of Devon in the late 16c.
The oldest parts of the church are the east end of the chancel and the squat, slightly tapering tower housing 5 bells cast by Pennington in 1770, .the lancet windows suggest a date from the early part of the 13c ,  They were probably part of an earlier building whose nave and chancel may have corresponded in size with the present nave. We know that this church had 3 altars which were rededicated in 1336 by Bishop Grandison after enlargement and restoration.  
However the main body of the church was rebuilt in late 14c / early 15c in Perpendicular style. 
 It now comprises of a nave, chancel, chancel chapels, north and south aisles, north and south transepts, south porch and north door. 
Henry Smith the rector of c1640 who had been instituted shortly before the rebellion against Charles I &quot;was treated in a most barbarous and Inhuman manner… his house was also plundered by a party of soldiers form the garrison at Plymouth, who did not so much as leave him a dish or a spoon.   At the same time they plundered him of his books also… himself, his wife and five or six children were all turned out of doors and subsisted for some time by the charity of the neighbouring gentry&quot;  His estate was sequestrated and &quot;he was… sent to a common Jayl in Exeter, where he died soon after the martyrdon of his Prince…&quot;   Walter Shute was later intruded on the vicarage in his place and is said to have preached a blasphemous sermon, in which he derided kings and princes on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Charles I.   However after the 1660 restoration  of the monarchy he conformed and was allowed to continue in the living, being properly instituted on 8th November 1662.  Although it was remembered that &quot;he it was who allowed the church to be abused, the rood loft to be pulled down and the painted and stained windows to be broken&quot;.  (All the stained glass in the windows were not replaced until the late 1800's)  Communion plate still exists which must have been hidden from the plunderers
Also the early 17c pulpit seems to have escaped 
In 1734 Waltham Savery of Slade was convicted of &quot;chiding and brawling in the church and churchyard&quot; and was forbidden to enter until he asked pardon of lord of the manor Sir John Rogers publicly in the church.
In 1783 the cost of church repair was 15s. 4d.
The chancel was largely rebuilt in 1867 with new furnishings including an alabaster reredos around the walls and gilded musical angels in the roof funded by Lord Blachford
A sixth bell was added in 1885 
An inscription records that extensive repairs to the exterior was done in 1899 in memory of Anne Elizabeth Parker of Delamore, by her husband George Parker.. 

In the north transept is the altar from the former chapel of the ease in Lutton with a memorial over to the Fortescue family of Hanger. 
The organ dates from 1876 , its oak front being given by Lady of the manor, Miss M. Deare of Blachford when the organ was restored in 1910.   Behind it is the doorway, which led to the stairs up to the rood loft, the doorway to which is immediately above.
There are monuments to successive lords of two of the manors, however none to the lords of Fardel which included the Raleighs , who had their own chapel from the 14c.  In Sir Walter's time it was held by his elder brother Sir Carew Ralegh, and later by the Hele, Pearse and Pode families.
In the south Slade chapel is one to Philip Cole of Slade 1596 and wife Joane Williams 1633 &amp; Stowfordhttps://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/m980S7ygZA &amp; two year old John Savery of Slade 1715 <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0u85VU9SK5">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0u85VU9SK5</a> 
In the chancel kneel Robert Belmaine of Dalamore &amp; wife Dorothy who died wihtin months of each other in 1627 <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/v90h618Esf">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/v90h618Esf</a>
The 18c / 19c Rogers of Blachford are also here on plainer memorials. 

Electricity was installed in the church in 1952 

Dave Kelly CCL <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3214437" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3214437</a>
cornwood church devon