YELVERTON – St Paul
The church was completed in 1912 and is a particularly fine example of Nicholson and Corlette’s work. The exterior is of local granite and Yennadon stone. The interior is of buff-coloured Ham Stone of which Nicholas Pevsner found ‘the sense of smooth surfaces as something pleasurable in itself‘ (Devon 1989). In 1915 Violet Pinwell was commissioned to carve the oak choir stalls and they are a fine example of her work.
Sir Charles Nicholson was not in favour of pews and hence the church has rows of chairs. Neither was he in favour of stained glass windows nevertheless there is a fine east window that was designed by Philips of Plymouth and dedicated to the preservation of the church and loved-ones lost during the 1939-1945 war. The 65 feet tower was damaged during the Second World War when an RAF pilot, Jack Pringle, from the very near RAF Harrowbeer clipped the tower and lost his life. The font, also by Nicholson, was designed in 1936 after Buckland Monachorum demanded their spare font back over a boundary row. There is a single 5 cwt bell by Gillett & Johnston. The organ, dated 1914, is by Nicholson & Co, Worcester. The church cost £5 689 to build and over £100 000 to repair the tower in 2008! St Paul’s now forms part of the West Dartmoor Benefice which includes Meavy, Sheepstor, Walkhampton and Princetown.
Detail of Pinwell carving
The Nicholson Font
