St Morwenna & St John the Baptist
The church at Morwenstow, dating back to Norman times, is built in a most beautiful setting overlooking a valley that runs down to the sea. It will forever be associated with the eccentric the Revd Stephen Hawker, to whom its restoration in the 1850s is credited (Beacham & Pevsner, 2014). For the author, it will always remain an exceptional place where the work of the Pinwill sisters was first encountered and a fascination began.
Reredos – Photographs (PWDRO 244/4 & 244/5); 1907
A new reredos was installed and dedicated in early December 1907. It is rather unusual in style with a cartoon by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (1683-1754) inserted into it beneath a heavy pediment, and below that three engravings forming a triptych of the Crucifixion by John Baptist Jackson dated 1740, all given by Mrs Waddon Martyn of nearby Tonacombe Manor for the purpose (Western Morning News, 1907). Designed by Edmund H. Sedding to agree with the character and period of the artwork, the carving was carried out by Rashleigh, Pinwill & Co. Plans for the reredos and the altar below are deposited at Kresen Kernow (X272/56/1-5).
Altar – Photographs (PWDRO 244/4 & 244/5); after 1910
A new altar designed by Sedding and carved by the Pinwills was also part of the scheme for the embellishment of the sanctuary, but appears to have been installed somewhat later than the reredos. A newspaper report of 30 May 1910 states that ‘in memory of their father and mother… a considerable sum of money will be given [by the Waddon Martyn family] towards the Carving of the panels in the Altar, the design being already in Mr. Sedding’s hands’ (Hartland & West Country Chronicle, 1910 p. 3). This implies that the altar was not then made. The parents in question, the Revd William Waddon Martyn, Rector of Lifton, and his wife Maria, both of Tonacombe Manor, died in 1900 and 1908, respectively. The altar features small gilded carvings of grapes that came from Tonacombe Manor, hanging above three arches over deep relief carvings of two angels and the Lamb of God.
Angel Lectern – Guide (Tomlin, 2003) Photograph (PWDRO 244/4) E.H. Sedding designer; after 1910
The guide states that Edmund S. (sic) Sedding also designed the angel for the lectern, which is dedicated to N. H. Lawrence Martyn, who died in 1910, and was the son of the Revd amd Mrs Waddon Martyn of Tonacombe Manor. It seems likely that the lectern was carved by V. Pinwill and this was eventually confirmed by the discovery of an unlabelled photograph of the piece in PWDRO 244/4. The plan for the lectern is deposited at Kresen Kernow (X272/56/6).
Sources
Beacham, P. & Pevsner, N. (2014) The Buildings of England. Cornwall. Yale University Press, London.
Kresen Kernow X272/56/1-5 Plans. Morwenstow. Reredos and Altar.
Kresen Kernow X272/56/6 Plan. Morwenstow. Lectern.
Hartland & West Country Chronicle (1910) Morwenstow. No. 164 30 May p. 3.
PWDRO 244/4 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
PWDRO 244/5 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.
Tomlin, E. W. F. (2003) The Church of St Morwenna & St John the Baptist Morwenstow. A Guide and History.
Western Morning News (1907) Morwenstow Church. 10 December p. 6.