Church Micro 9964...Ugborough
A Little History
We do not know when the first parish church was built at Ugborough. There may have been a church here in the Anglo-Saxon period before the Norman Conquest, but nothing remains. There was a church with a priest in the village by 1121, when the right to appoint to the living of Ugborough (known as the advowson) was granted to Plympton Priory, Plymouth. This was confirmed in 1176 a letter of John, bishop of Exeter, to Martin, prior of Plympton convent.
Today, Ugborough parish church is dedicated to St Peter. We do not know to whom the church was dedicated in the Middle Ages as the information was lost after the Reformation. It may have been St Michael but we cannot be certain. In the 1950s, the vicar Rev. Evans decided to dedicate the church to St Peter and the bishop of Exeter held a dedication service at Petertide in June 1954
The Church in the Middle Ages: By 1300, a sizeable church stood on the present site, although little of this survives. The north and south arcades of the nave probably represent the exterior walls of this church, so it was smaller than the current building.
In the early 14th century, the church was rebuilt and enlarged in the Decorated Gothic style. The chancel was rebuilt first and the high altar was dedicated by Bishop Stapleton of Exeter on 28 October 1311. The nave and the aisles were then rebuilt and re-dedicated by the bishop on 21 February 1322. There would also have been a tower, smaller than the present one today. Outside the main door is a holy water stoop of this period, for people to use to bless themselves with, when entering the church.
Around 100 years later, in the early 15th century, the chancel was again rebuilt in the Perpendicular style, in granite. There may have been a restoration of other parts of the church as well, for the roof in the north aisle, with the roof bosses, probably dates to this period. The rebuilding seems to have taken place during the ministry of William Browning, who was born in Ugborough.
The Sixteenth Century and Reformation: in the early 16th century, major works were again undertaken. The tower was rebuilt to be much larger and grander than the medieval tower, again in granite. At about this time the large porch over the main north door was built, with a parvis room above it. This was used for storage, meetings and possibly accommodation. The traditional name for this room in the churchwarden’s accounts of the 17th and 18th centuries was the ‘Comply room’ or ‘comply garrett’, although the meaning of this is not clear. The interior of the church was also refurbished, with a new wooden roodscreen, with saints and sybils painted on the wainscots.
For more on the history of this gorgeous church please visit www.ugborough.com
Now onto the cache
At the headline co-ordinates you should be looking at an unused entrance to the church. To your right there is a circular gravestone. On the other side it reads "In Loving Memory of Thomas Waring Colley. Died ABth AC ADEE Aged BF.
The final can be found at N 50 23.A(E-A)C W 003 51.(B-A)BB
This is a short walk away from the church.
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