St Petroc

Most of the delightful bench ends in this church (1923-26) are the work of Herbert Read of Exeter (Wans, undated).

Lydford Screen
Chancel Screen at Lydford

Chancel Screen – Photograph (PWDRO 244/5) F. Bligh Bond architect; 1904 and 1907

An unlabelled photograph in PWDRO shows the unmistakable screen at Lydford, with its assymetrical cornice. This wonderful reproduction was designed by Frederick Bligh Bond and, according to him, exhibits detail adapted from the best local screenwork (Bond & Camm, 1909). An estimate for the work, given in the faculty petition of 1902, stood at £220 (DHC DEX/9/a/2/Lydford/5). The Bishop of Exeter dedicated the screen in January 1904 and a newspaper report of the event describes the piece in detail, stating that Miss Pinwill of Plymouth carried out the work (Western Times, 1904). The screen was given in memory of Daniell Radford J.P. of Tavistock by his family. There was a delay in installing the gates because of a technicality in the Diocesan regulations and they did not materialise until 1907 (Wans, undated). The work appears in a list of notable modern screens in Devon (Slader, 1968).

Sources

Bond, F. B. & Camm, D. B. (1909) Roodscreens and Roodlofts. Pitman & Sons, London.

DHC DEX/9/a/2/Lydford/5 Faculty. Lydford. Chancel Screen.

PWDRO 244/5 Photograph Album. Various. Woodcarvings.

Slader, J. M. (1968) The Churches of Devon. David & Charles, Newton Abbot.

Wans, J. (undated) The Parish Church of St. Petroc.

Western Times (1904) Dedication of a Screen at Lydford Church. 26 January p. 3.