persistence pays - Chivelstone Devon
Church of St Sylvester, Chivelstone Devon is now the religious centre of this coastal parish known as Prawle point which is situated at the most southerly point in Devon and also incluldes the villages of South Allington, Ford, Lannacombe  &amp; East Prawle.

Mentioned as Cheveletone in the 1086 Domesday Survey, the  Lord of the Manor was then Juhel de Totnes who was granted many manors in the south-west by William the Conqueror and who founded Totnes Priory in c.1087 but who , after the king's death , was expelled by his successor.
There was a chapelry here by the end of the 13c, attached to the parish of Stokenham  held by Totnes Priory. 

The church now consists of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, embattled three stage west tower with 5-sided stair turret on the south side , holding 5 bells, and is mainly Perpendicular in style. 
The present building was constructed in the early 15c , though the chancel may be 14c,  and enlarged with the rebuilding of the aisled nave, tower &amp; porch  in mid-16c.  
It is the only one in Devon dedicated to Pope Sylvester who died in 325AD 
Inside is a wonderful early 15c rood screen with painted saints <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/5d01WbJ7P4">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/5d01WbJ7P4</a> &amp; a 
later c1480 fine matching painted medieval pulpit hollowed out of the trunk of a large oak tree <a href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/aCN1aNhKqJ">www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/aCN1aNhKqJ</a>
The registers date from 1630.

It was restored in 1897 but by the beginning of this century was badly in need of further extensive restoration.
The PCC also hoped to create a space that could be used more widely by the community as well as bringing in revenue to help make it more sustainable in the future - this in addition to providing better facilities for the loyal congregation.  
Having been unsuccessful with previous grants the Church worked hard with the active support of Le Page Architects, to win a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.  The final interview for the grant on zoom released  £400,000 during the 2020 lockdown, this supplemented with other fundraising for the match funding. There is an explanatory video that explains the project here: <a href="https://eastprawlehistorysociety.co.uk/church-repair-project" rel="noreferrer nofollow">eastprawlehistorysociety.co.uk/church-repair-project</a>  
Work was done during 2021.   <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0xs1N7-DnU" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0xs1N7-DnU</a>
There have been interesting complications around structural and conservation repair, entailing 8m deep low impact piles to support the south porch, as well as repair to a reed reinforced plaster ceiling.  Extensive repointing, upgrade of rainwater goods, other repairs to lead roof, and stonework repair to decayed windows has formed the majority of the external work. 
 Interior works are wide ranging, involving the installation of an accessible lavatory unusually with a shower. This is so that the Church may be used for overnight accommodation for walkers and tourists <a href="https://champing.co.uk" rel="noreferrer nofollow">champing.co.uk</a>.  Grant of consent to allow for a shower was extremely hard won but eventually allowed.  A bespoke hideaway kitchen offers  simple catering for a variety of events.  
Conservation work to the medieval pulpit was one of the highlights of the project and remains of late 17c / early 18c wall paintings have been found under layers of whitewash,

In the graveyard are numerous graves dating from 1712 , many to those  who lost their lives in ships wrecked throughout the centuries, 
In his book “Kingsbridge and its Surroundings” (1874) S P Fox wrote bout the wreck of the Gossamer:“A China tea clipper ship, of 735 tons register, was wrecked in December, 1868  and 13 lives were lost. There was a strong South-wrest breeze, and a heavy sea… The Captain was seen to lash his bride of just two weeks to a spar in the hope that she would stay afloat. For a time the two of them clung to the storm tossed bit of wood until the sea took them in its cold embrace…”


chivelstone church devon