St Dominica

Clergy Stalls and Choir Stalls – Photographs (PWDRO 116/73) R.F. Wheatly architect; 1937

The photograph in PWDRO shows only the choir stalls for one side of the chancel and two semi-kneeling angels. A faculty petition was submitted in July 1937 to replace pitch pine clergy and choir stalls with ones of carved chestnut (CRO D/R 15/11) together with plans for the new ones (CRO D/R 54). These stalls were given by parishioners in memory of Cecil Square, Rector 1894 to 1934, in addition to the Rector’s stall given by members of his family. The estimate for all of the work was £300.

St Dominick Choir and Clergy Stalls
Choir and Clergy Stalls at St Dominick

Memorial Cross – Photograph (PWDRO 116/108); after 1934

The photograph of this piece is in a section of unidentified items in PWDRO, as no church is specified. However, the wooden cross bears the inscription ‘Cecil Square Died Dec 15th 1934 Rector for forty years Jesu Mercy’, which marks it out as belonging to St Dominick. A small roof on the cross suggested it was made for an outdoor position, perhaps even a grave. This proved to be so on a visit in February 2018 but after 80+ years the wood is beginning to rot.

Lady Chapel – Hedges (2005) V. Pinwill; 1930s

Ron Dustan remembers carrying out work in the Lady Chapel in the 1930s, but it is unclear what that entailed.

Sources

CRO D/R 15/11 Faculty Petition. St Dominick. Clergy and Choir Stalls.

CRO D/R 54 Faculty Plans. St Dominick. Choir Stalls.

Hedges, M. (2005) Ron Dustan, Woodcarver in West Country Churches. Dartmoor Society Newsletter 22, 14-19.

PWDRO 116/73 Photograph. St Dominick. Choir Stalls and Angels.

PWDRO 116/108 Photograph. St Dominick. Memorial to Cecil Square.