St Mary’s Parish Church Bideford

1128 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

April, 2019

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Solo

Reasons for trip

You can’t miss St Mary’s – its solid square tower dominates the view of Bideford seen across the River Torridge.

This is the third church to be built on this site. Nothing is left of the original cob and wattle Saxon Church which was replaced by a stone church in the C13th. By the C19th this was in a very poor state of repair and was demolished apart from the tower and a new nave and chancel were built.

It is a very large church, reflecting the wealth and importance of Bideford at the time.

The inside is equally as impressive with arcades of pillars with pointed arches separating the nave and side aisles and hung with brightly coloured banners. Embroidered kneelers propped up on the pew benches add more colour.

The oak screen at the bottom of the tower was made from old pew ends.

Between the chancel and the south aisle is the tomb chest of Sir Thomas Grenville who died in 1513 and, along with the tower, is one of the few parts of the earlier church to survive.

All Saints’ Chapel in the north aisle was the area reserved for the mayor and corporation. It is separated from the nave by a glass screen with engravings including the baptism of Jesus, St Anne, and a local fisherman. Now reached from the north porch, this has a simple stone altar and the Memorial Book.

In front of the glass screen is the Norman font, dating from 1080. Near it is the pulpit carved from Devon marble in 1894.

This is a very attractive church. I was very lucky to find it open. It is well worth visiting. It is obviously well loved by the congregation.

The church is kept locked apart from services. It is open on Monday mornings when the ‘Holy dusters’ clean the church or about 10am on a Friday when it is open to prepare food for “The Friday Diner”:https://stmaryschurchbideford.org/community-groups/friday-diner/ at 12o’clock. There is no parking by the church. The post code is EX39 2BP and the grid reference is SS 454264.

There are more pictures “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/churches/england/south/southwest/bideford/index.html

ESW

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.