| Church Services 1st Sunday 9.30 All Age Worship 2nd Sunday 11.00 Morning Prayer 3rd Sunday No Service 4th Sunday 11.00 Holy Communion 5th Sunday Benefice Services – see Notices Please check Church Notice Board for any changes or additional Services. Usually, we have coffee after each Service – please join us. |
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| St Michael & All Angels Church is a small rural church clearly visible approaching Meeth on the A386 from the north or the south. The village has a pub The Bull & Dragon and a glued-laminated timber business. The Devon Wildlife Trusts Nature Reserve and the Tarka Trail are a short distance away. The origins of Meeth lie in the late Saxon period forming one of the early Christian communities of Devon, it is mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. In 2012 archaeologists monitored our project to re-plaster and replace flooring in the interior of the church and found evidence of an earlier Saxon church on the site. Three medieval graves found are from at least two phases. Spare a thought for the Napoleonic prisoners who in 1818 laid the cobble path that is beneath your feet as you approach this attractive small church through its early Norman porch. Although restored and refitted in 1893 the building is packed with history. It has retained many of its original Norman features with additions from the 14th and 15th centuries. Angels and fine bosses carved in wood look down from the 15th century wagon roof. There is a Norman font here with a lid that was added by Tudor craftsmen as was the semi octagonal panelled pulpit. The beautifully modelled plaster coat of arms dated 1704 celebrates to church wardens of the time and is thought to be the work of John Abbot of Frithelstock. The building is surrounded by a large, open churchyard, with C18/19 gravestones of grey slate some with verse inscriptions. The most famous burial (noted in Hoskins) is Rev. John Lamprière, Rector 1811-24, compiler of the Bibliotheca Classica (1788 still in print). The church has a three-stage, unbuttressed, square tower, in dressed grey granite blocks with four plain pinnacles. Consistent with an early date, there is no west door, but a two-light mullion window with segmented heads. A rectangular stair projection extends half way up the north side of the tower, accessed through an oak door of C14 origin. There is a tiny Norman window on the north side of the staircase. The four bells are all listed: two of the bells are early medieval, from Exeter, inscribed with a cross and the words ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘Ave Maria Gracia’ respectively. The other two (by Johannes Stadler of Chulmleigh, 1714) are inscribed ‘Ring me round, I’ll sweetly sound’ and ‘Soli Deo Detur Gloria’ and the names of wardens John Lugg and Sam Jerman. All four have six cannons intact. The oak frame with timber headstocks is by Henry Stokes of Woodbury, 1902. The bells were rehung and rededicated by the Bishop of Plymouth in 1991. The urgent repairs needed to our tower, bell frame and bells were completed in June The project included the addition of a kitchenette and disabled toilet, which has made a massive difference to the activities we can undertake at the Church, making it more available for more people. Conservation repairs to six of the windows inside the Church were successfully completed by Heritage Stained Glass Ltd in March 2021 and the 42 year old electronic organ was replaced in July 2021 by a two manual Viscount Chorum 40. Details of the sponsors of our project are on our “Meeth Events and Projects” page. Our beautiful church is usually open daily and we hope that you will come and visit for quiet prayer and reflection. Priest in Charge: “Team Vicar – Revd Leigh Winsbury 01837 810680” Contact Details – Miss Jenny Green e-mail jenniferbgreen03@gmail.com Meeth Events & Projects page |
| Meeth is a small village roughly 13.5 km (8.4 mi) north-northwest of Okehampton and 40.7 km (25.3 mi) west-northwest of Exeter. It lies to the west of the River Torridge. In the past, clay mines were a major source of employment in the village, lying just to the west, however these have closed. The Tarka Trail finishes/starts in Meeth. The village has a small centre which encompasses the recently re-opened church, village hall and village pub. |
| Safeguarding Meeth It is of the utmost importance to us to make our church a safe place for all who come here. If you have any concern about the safety of children or vulnerable adults please contact our parish safeguarding officer Revd. Leigh Winsbury, 01837 810680, lwinsbury@googlemail.com or Mrs Val Goldie val.goldie@outlook.com If you are a young person please contact childline on 0800 11 11 The PCC of this church fully endorses the “Promoting a Safer Church” Policy of the Church of England https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/PromotingSaferChurchWeb.pdf |