Beer Cemetery, Beer, Devon

I'd first noticed the cemetery whilst travelling past on a bus, which was unusual because it doesn't normally go along that road but was diverted for some reason - probably road works - then having remembered it again in recent years I went for an explore in September 2017.

There doesn't seem to be much information about the cemetery itself but it does have a cemetery chapel. It's a Listed Building too, being a nice unexpected find when I visited.

I didn't take a photo of the notice on the gate - in fact, I only really read the first bit of it at the time - but I recently saw a photo of it taken by someone else and can now copy what turned out to be nicely amusing wording...

'THIS IS A CLOSED CHURCHYARD

Please continue up the road and on the bend you will find the current one.

This churchyard does not take any new residents, but temporary visitors wishing to look around are more than welcome!'

I had a good wander around both cemeteries and took quite a lot of photos. I'll try not to add too many samey pictures but it'll be a struggle as it really is such a photogenic place.

The non-conformist cemetery chapel was built in 1866 as a gift from the Rolle family (well-known landed gentry in Devon) and used for funerals until Beer had its current church, St Michael's, built eleven years later in 1877.

 

A Grade II listed building,  it's constructed with ashlar in the Early English/Decorated style. A single cell chapel, the door is situated at the west, above which is a delightful rose window. It wasn't open when I visited so no interior photos, unfortunately.

 

Like most chapels, there was a bellcote containing a single bell at the western end. However, it is no longer there with just the truncated mount remaining in situ, seen above.

The outer drip mould surrounding the top of the door architrave ends in head stops. Beautifully made, they were carved by Harry Hems, a famous stone and wood carver of the late 19th and early 20th century who had a workshop in Exeter. He specialised in ecclesiastical work and owned a large collection of wood carvings saved from refurbished churches, which is now in Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum and is the largest collection anywhere. 

Head stops also adorn the drips moulds on the three lancet windows along each north and south side, each one a different character showing the art and expertise of the maker.

And also on the west window, which wasn't very easy to get to, seen below.

And a few more photos of this first cemetery before we go to the second one. Well maintained, it's nevertheless a lovely place for wildlife as well as a peaceful walk for us humans.

 

Now up the road to the second cemetery next door.

Oddly enough, this newer cemetery was less maintained than the old one at the time of my visit.

It was still interesting and made a nice short walk along the path, although I didn't take very many photos or meander further amongst the graves. There's a reason for the latter, which will become evident when I've written an article about the parish church graveyard in Seaton when I had a horror filled moment - something to look forward to, lol! - as well as me being somewhat necrophobic. 

There are Commonwealth War Graves from the First and Second World War in both this and the first cemetery, but again I didn't take a proper look at any of the gravestones.

Those are all the photos I took of this cemetery but I did take a few more of the first one from over the wall.

And a final look at the entrance.

I mentioned on my previous post that I'm working on a long article. This wasn't it, lol, although it turned out to be another long one that I'd also been working on. I was leaving this until I could visit again in order to copy the information on the notice. Then I came across someone else's photo and info about it...so I didn't need to! Anyway, I'm not sure what's coming next but if it's the other long one it'll be Jacob's Ladder Beach in Sidmouth, which is an incredible area of historical remains and geology. And now that I've mentioned it I think I ought to make it that one. As Captain Picard often said, "Make it so". And I'm rambling as usual. 

The first of September today and the start of Autumn. Have a great season, everyone. :) 

 

 

 

St Michael's Church, Beer, Devon

 

Someone once told me that Beer was nicknamed 'The Devil's Own Village', although I've only ever heard it from that one person. Even so, I think it's rather apt that the Archangel who threw Satan out of heaven should be the patron saint of the parish church! ;)

I'd been meaning to visit the church for some time and the opportunity to do so came on a cold, windy, rainy Sunday in the middle of January 2011. It was my birthday and I wanted to go out somewhere, but I had to rely on the restricted Sunday bus service and all my first choices were shut for the winter season...so Beer it was. A couple of hours here, a picnic lunch in the shelter of the gardens on the cliff overlooking the village, then a very wet and blustery walk back home across the cliffs and down into Seaton. What else could a girl wish for on her birthday! ;)

Lovely blue doors - the left one inside the front porch and the other outside on the right of the building - really stood out brightly on such a grey day.

Although this specific building was erected in 1877, a previous chapel had existed on this site since the 16th century and was subsequently demolished to make way for the present one. It is thought that another, earlier religious building may have stood here since 1122 AD, when Beer and Seaton belonged to the Abbey of Sherborne. Deeds show that nearby vineyards were tended by monks of Sherborne and a 13th century inventory stated that the village had to provide an annual supply of fish, salt and a tythe of wine from the vineyard for the Abbey. 

It was also reputed to have been used as a safe place to store contraband by the local smugglers. It's interesting to think that the famous local smuggler, Jack Rattenbury, may well have attended the chapel that stood here before this one. 

Originally the tower had a spire with lucarnes. I had to look up the word lucarne, as I hadn't come across it before. Basically, it refers to a dormer window - a gabled opening - especially set into a roof. In Britain it's also particularly used for small windows into unoccupied spaces such as attics or spire spaces. Anyway, the spire was eventually demolished and the top part of the tower was built upon as we see it today.

A Grade II Listed Building, consisting mainly of coursed stone and built in the Early English/Decorated style, it's a large church comprising the nave, low north and south aisles with north and south transepts. 

The east window in the chancel consists of five lights in the decorated style.

Contemporary furnishings include the choir stalls, stone pulpit (seen above) and font (below).

The walls and most of the tower consist of Hoole Head blue limestone and the columns which support the nave arcade are of Devon marble.  

The lovely multifoil round windows above the arcade are an absolute delight.
 

The photos below show close-ups of the marble topped with beautiful foliate carvings and a carved head stop where the two arches converge.

Two of the stained glass windows, below; a two-light window from the chancel and the three-light one from the north aisle, also seen below the others.

I don't know why but I've never been very good at taking photos of stained glass windows! Probably because I'm overcompensating the light settings and unable to get a decent focus. I think I'll have to take a film of just windows and experiment until I've got it right, lol.  

This is a delightful, friendly church with lots of interesting artefacts.  The old clock is displayed amongst a second-hand bookstore shown in the above photo, the workings of which can be seen below.

Also an old street lamp on the windowsill beneath the tower. 

Above the West door, below, is the Washbourne Light. This was the old harbour light which used to be situated upon the cliffs, used to guide the fishermen back to Beer. Unfortunately, I didn't get a decent close-up of the lamp but you can just about make it out above the entrance at the bottom of the nave, below.

I really enjoyed the time spent here as the atmosphere was very welcoming. The exterior was particularly interesting and I just managed to take several more photos before it started to rain in earnest...

...then off to my wintry picnic, walk across the cliffs and the descent down into Seaton. :)

And finally, the last photo taken on a different, much brighter, day.