Devonshire Oct to Dec 17

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Glimpses of Chagford
by Nigel Jones
1. What could be more culturally authentic than a
Devonshire dairy. Milk, cheese, butter, butter milk
were all important food stuffs in days gone by,
capable of being produced at a hyper-local level.
2. A glimpse through the churchyard to the Three
Crowns in March, the trees still bare and crows
nests dotting the crown.
3. An interesting mediaeval frieze in the church of
St Michael the Archangel, part of a an extremely
ornate burial monument. The church is well
worth a visit and please make sure you leave a
donation to help with maintenance.
4. A view out across the valley from the churchyard.
It reminds one that the surrounding countryside
is beautiful and worthy of discovery.
5. A painted plaque in the church. There was a time
when ennoblement was taken very seriously, the
allusion to illustrious ancestry was embroidered
upon with much heraldic symbolism. Around
the late 1600 and through the 1700s is where
those ornate burial flagstones in churches occur,
bearing coats of arms.
6. The Bishop's house, an unusual jettied porch,
apparently, a fire in May 1970 ravaged through
Chagford, but valiant efforts by residents helped
save this unique property from destruction.
7. On old cross - well, the top bit at least. At some
point in history many ancient crosses were
destroyed, many by puritans in the 1600s who
considered these crosses to be idolatrous, many
were also used as farm gate posts.
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Countryside, History, Walks, the Arts, Events & all things Devon at: DEVONSHIRE magazine.co.uk