Holy Trinity
Originally a chapel of ease to Malborough, this church was rebuilt on a new site in 1843 but without a chancel (Cherry & Pevsner, 2004). This was added in 1889, to the plans of John Dando Sedding of London, uncle of Edmund H. Sedding.
Litany Desk – Newspaper article (Western Daily Mercury, 1889); 1889
An article in the Western Daily Mercury (1889) provides an account of the opening of the new chancel. It states that a litany desk ‘was carved by Miss Pinwell (sic), daughter of the rector of Ermington, from designs supplied by Mr Sedding, the architect’. This commission occurred before the establishment of Rashleigh, Pinwill & Co. and is therefore one of the earliest known pieces by the sisters. It seems unlikely, however, that John Dando Sedding would have employed the Pinwills to undertake this work. It is more likely that Edmud H. Sedding, who by this time was very much involved in creating designs for the sisters to carve, was the one who engaged the Pinwills. Edmund’s involvement in the architectural work at Salcombe is substantiated by another report of the opening of the new chancel, in which it states that the ‘very handsome carved oak bosses’ for the chancel’s wagon roof were ‘designed by Mr Edmund Sedding, nephew of the architect’, although these were carved by the building contractor Messrs Farr & Son of West Alvington (Western Morning News, 1889).
The guide to Holy Trinity also states that the ‘oak litany desk… is attributed to the Misses Pinwill, daughters of the vicar of Ermington and granddaughters of the Rev. William Pinwill who earlier carved our pulpit and font.’ The desk bears a brass plaque stating that it is in memory of Revd W.B. Browne, who was assistant priest in the parish for 12 years.
Sources
Cherry, B. & Pevsner, N. (2004) The Buildings of England. Devon. Yale University Press, London.
Salcombe (undated) Art @ Holy Trinity Church. Unpublished guide within church.
Western Daily Mercury (1889) Holy Trinity Church Salcombe. Opening a New Chancel. 18 October p. 2.
Western Morning News (1889) Holy Trinity Church, Salcombe. Opening a New Chancel, &c. 18 October p. 5.