Plymtree
| Plymtree | |
| Devon | |
|---|---|
 St John's Church, Plymtree | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | ST049028 |
| Location: | 50°49’0"N, 3°21’0"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 605 (2001) |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | East Devon |
| Website: | www.plymtree.org.uk |
Plymtree is a small village about three and a half miles south of the town of Cullompton in eastern Devon. The parish is surrounded, clockwise from the north, by the parishes of Broadhembury, Payhembury, Clyst Hydon and Cullompton.
The village has a public house called The Blacksmith Arms and a Church of England primary school, which is part of the Culm Valley Federation with Kentisbeare and Culmstock Schools. There is a small, community-run village shop and post office, a village hall, playground and recreation field. The yearly country fayre is held on the August Bank Holiday which raises funds for the Village Hall and local Riding for the Disabled Group. It has a cricket club and tennis court.
Parish church
St John the Baptist's church is mediæval; the tower and the south aisle are Perpendicular but the nave and chancel are older. The rood screen is a splendid example and exceptionally well preserved. It incorporates emblems which indicate that it was given by Isabel widow of Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Devon, who was beheaded in 1469. The wainscoting is painted with figures but they are not of high aesthetic value. There is a small alabaster relief of the Resurrection of Christ which is Flemish work of about 1600.[1]
In the churchyard of St John the Baptist's church is a historic yew tree.[2]
An early Christmas carol is one attributed to Richard Smart, Rector of Plymtree from 1435 to 1477, which has 'Sir Christemas' announcing the news of Christ's birth and encouraging his listeners to drink: "Buvez bien par toute la compagnie, / Make good cheer and be right merry, / And sing with us now joyfully: Nowell, nowell."
Historic estates
The parish of Plymtree contains various historic estates including:
- Fordmore, anciently Ford's Moore, from before 1161 to 1702 the seat of the at Ford (later "Ford") family
- Plymtree Manor
- Woodbeer Court
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Plymtree) |
References
- ↑ Nikolaus Pevsner: Pevsner Architectural Guides
- ↑ "Churches of Devon: Plymtree". http://www.britannia.com/history/devon/churches/plymtree.html. Retrieved 2017-01-18.