Corpus of Percy Bacon

Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers

Littleham-cum-Exmouth, St Margaret & St Andrew

Devon

St Margaret's and St Andrews, Littleham-cum-Exmouth.

St Margaret's and St Andrews, Littleham-cum-Exmouth

St Margaret's and St Andrew's church is mentioned in a Bull of Eugenius in 1146 with the chancel and piscina dating from no later than 1250. Of particular interest is the early rood screen which stretches across both aisles and nave. The church was restored in 1884-6 by Robert Medley Fulford when some 15th century glass Reset 15th century glass discovered when the church was restored in 1884-6. Left: Christ displaying his wounds. Centre: St Roche, Patron Saint of Plague Sufferers. Right: St Michael vanquishing the Dragon. was found featuring St Roche (patron saint of plague sufferers), Archangel Michael vanquishing the serpent and Christ indicating his wounds which was set into plain quarries in the north aisle (NA2). An excellent description of the church can be found on Devon Council's, Heritage Gateway site.

There are two Percy Bacon & Brothers windows in the church, one either side of the south door : Below left: SA1: Three Maries: Magdalene, BVM and Mary of Bethany. Below Right: SA2, Ss John the Baptist, John Evangelist and Mark.

Three Maries; Magdalene, BVM and Mary of Bethany.

Three Maries; Detail: Mary Magdalene.

Three Maries; Detail: BVM.

Three Maries; Detail: Mary of Bethany.

Percy Bacon & Bros; Littleham cum Exmouth; SA3: Ss John B, John E & Mark.

St John the Baptist.

St John Evangelist.

St Mark.

The windows on the south side were enlarged in 1911 from a design by George H Fellowes-Prynne who is said to have also designed the glass.² Percy Bacon was Prynne's glass maker of choice. However, looking more closely at the details and the style of the window, particularly the characteristic architectonic work it is much more likely that Bacon himself executed the work to Prynne's suggestions for content, rather than his specific design. The two windows had been significantly modified during the 1884-6 restoration, but by 1911 there was an acknowledgement that a "serious mistake" had been made by the architect and the parishioners were petitioning for them to be removed and replaced. The Exmouth Journal of Saturday 22nd April 1911 records the view that "the beauty of the fine old building is largely spoilt by the heavy design of the stonework, which is altogether out of keeping with the general architecture of the church, and presents an invidious contrast to the windows on the north side of the nave, which are of decidedly beautiful and graceful design".³ The faculty for the works was granted in August 1911. Prynne also designed the new Lych gate for the church which was installed in 1901.⁴

It has to be recorded here that there is a lot of confusion over the glass in the available literature about St Margaret's and St Andrew's. Pevsner⁵ mentions the two windows either side of the south porch as those of Bacon, designed by Prynne. However, he goes on to say that there are three Kempe windows in the church. This is not correct, as there are no Kempe windows, and the Corpus of Kempe concurs.⁶ He seems to have confused Littleham-cum-Exmouth with the other Littleham near Bideford in North Devon, and this, as is often the case, has been copied by others without checking the facts of the matter. Indeed the Heritage Gateway website mentioned above make the same error.

References: Use your browser's Back button to return to text.

Devon & Dartmoor HER; Devon CC Heritage Gateway site. Link here.
Cornish Stained Glass website.
Exmouth Journal; Sat 22nd April 1911, p5
Exmouth Journal - Saturday 02 November 1901. See also Ruth Sarrville's website dedicated to Fellowes-Prynne: Page for Littleham
Buildings of England, Devon; Cherry, B. and Pevsner, N. (2002 edition) p538
The Corpus of Kempe Stained Glass in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Ed Collins, P N H.

Location Map:

NGR: SY 02906 81294
Sat Nav Post Code: EX8 2RD