Bratton Clovelly, Devon
Church of St Mary, Bratton Clovelly, Devon
The manor was mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book, and held by Baldwin 'The Sheriff' and paid taxes on 1 virgate (c 30 acres, sufficient for 15 ploughs). Bratton was in 2 parts separated by a strip of land at Thrushelton (now Broadwoodwidger), this continued until at least 1840.

The D'eaudon family held the manor in the 13c, their heiress married Sir Roger Clavill from whom Clavill became &quot;Clovelly&quot;  over time. . They died without issue and the manor passed to her sister wife of Sir Baldwyn Malet.   Later it  passed to the Somertons, whose daughters married into the Francis and Kirkham families.   Mid 13c Thomas de Somerton held Brattonne, Combe, Gonaescott and Bratton St. Mary, the latter may indicate the church site.   The name of the village was then changed to Bratton Francis until the male line ran out in 1547.   The joint heirs were called Langford, Pengelly and Coryndon and the name reverted to Bratton Clovelly.
The Burnbys of Burnby also lived here for 7 generations and recorded their marriage heraldry in stained glass windows in a chapel at the east end of the south aisle they may have built.  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/8C3GioNP4U">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/8C3GioNP4U</a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/5C993vTmvS">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/5C993vTmvS</a>
 In the 19c the glass was moved to the vestry and only the chapel piscina survives.   

The village lies mid way on one of the oldest Pack Horse Trails between Devon and Cornwall and the 18c pub must have done good business . Thttps://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/J19e8k939s he trail followed a ridge linking Okehampton in Devon to Launceston in Cornwall, both having fortifications in the form of Norman Castles.  

The present church was originally built by the Normans on the site of a Saxon site, from which survives the Norman font <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/76xQ0wmB69">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/76xQ0wmB69</a> and tower .  
The chancel, vestry and possibly the north aisle are Early English (1189-1272), and may have been added while the Norman building was intact, and the vestry used as a chapel.
An old menhi / memorial stone has Roman characters at one end and may be part of a very early church sited 25 feet to the south of the porch where there is a mound in the churchyard.   Sadly graves have prevented further investigation.

In the 14c the patronage of the church was in the hands of Plympton Priory .  It was probably in a state of poor repair.   

However in 1335 the patronage passed to the great builder of churches, Bishop Grandisson of Exeter who possibly planned a large cruciform church -  the present nave, with one more bay to form a choir and a corresponding nave to the west of the tower.   The bases of the nave columns are believed to be the remains of a Norman Church, cut away and squared to support the clustered columns of piolyphant stone which are similar in design to those of Exeter Cathedral suggesting the influence of the same 14c builders. The unfinished levelling of the base at the north west end of the arcade supports the  view that the intention was to make the top of the square bases the floor level.   There is still a difference in height between the north door (now blocked) and the south door serving the present lower floor level of the original chancel floor. The new floor level idea was probably dropped when  these plans to build a cruciform church were abandoned . On the north side of the tower it is possible to see an arch now built in  - The Newel Turret at the southwest corner is also thought to have been a part of that same plan, necessary for access to reach the upper part of a bigger tower.   But money ran out 

There are 17c rare paintings on the walls  
The bells were cast by Penningtons in 1767., and rehung at the expense of Mrs Elizabeth Manning of Eversfield in 1900, the chiming apparatus being added at the same time.  ;  They are inscribed:
&quot;I call all ye to follow me JP + FAP + 1878'  &quot;God preserve the church JP + FAP 1767&quot;; &quot;God save the King JP + FAP + 1878&quot;' &quot;Penningtons cast us all 1767&quot;; &quot;Prosperity to this parish 1767&quot; ; &quot;Ego sum vox clamantis parate.(I am the voice that cries be ready)  Charles Peters&quot;  In 1805 the church wardens &quot;Paid Barkwill for dolling the bell at Nelson's burial 1s 6d&quot;


 in the 19c the church was renovated to a high standard with stained glass by Lavers &amp; Westlake of London.  Most of the screen was removed in 1820, the only part remaining is to the right of the entrance to the chancel.  At the same time a west gallery was erected, which was removed in 1874.   All but two of the bosses in the nave roof were replaced in 1897.  Possibly funded by the generosity of Thomas Manning , lord of the manor &amp; wife Elizabeth 1825 - 1913 &quot;a generous benefactress to this church and a good friend to the parish&quot;   The rood loft stairs are still in place and a squint allows the congregation to see the altar from the nave. 

It is now cared for by English Heritage.


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<a href="https://www.google.co.uk/local/place/fid/0x486c5df2595af075:0x52d3d76bbf284d87/photosphere?iu=https://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?panoid=efJzO-Etzo-9LLhjqCE7pg&amp;cb_client=lu.gallery.gps&amp;w=160&amp;h=106&amp;yaw=302.37906&amp;pitch=0&amp;thumbfov=100&amp;ik=CAISFmVmSnpPLUV0em8tOUxMaGpxQ0U3cGc=" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.google.co.uk/local/place/fid/0x486c5df2595af075:0x52d...</a>

Picture with thanks - copyright Jane Kingshott <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2246341/st.-mary-the-virgin-churchyard#view-photo=239661424" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2246341/st.-mary-the-virgin-c...</a>
bratton clovelly devon