About us
The Parish of Stokenham with Sherford and Beesands
The Parish of Stokenham with Sherford and Beesands forms part of the Start Bay Mission Community and incorporates the three churches of
St Michael and All Angels, St Martin of Tours and St Andrews.
The Start Bay Mission Community is located in the South Hams at the southernmost point of Devon, and in addition to St Michael and All Angels, St Martin of Tours and St Andrews includes the churches of St Peter at Buckland Tout Saints, St Mary at Charleton, St Sylvester at Chivelstone, St Winwaloe's at East Portlemouth, St James the Great at Slapton and St Nicholas and St Cyriac at South Pool.
The parish sits within the South Devon Area of Outstanding National Beauty, which was designated in 1960 as one of a family of protected landscapes within the UK due to its special qualities including its rugged coastline, sandy beaches, secretive estuaries, patchwork countryside and historic villages.
The beautiful landscape and rich history of the area attracts many visitors each year. We welcome visitors to the area to attend our services and events and to visit our churches.
St Michael and All Angels, Stokenham
A fine example of the perpendicular style of medieval architecture, the church is built on the side of a hill and is dedicated to St Michael and All Angels. It one time in its history the church was dedicated to St Barnabus and before that to St Humbert the Confessor. A spring can be found running into a culvert in the car park belonging to the church, this is the original spring which formed a holy well, and it was claimed that these waters were beneficial for healing ailments affecting the eyes. The church tower is about 85 feet high and houses the bells and the flag mast. There are now six bells hung in the tower, five are dated 1776 and the tenor 1883. Since the Middle Ages the nave has been used for civil as well as religious purpose and the congregation still gathers for refreshments after Sunday services and the church is opened for meetings and events throughout the year.
A mile from the sea at Start Bay the church has beautiful views of the coast to the east from the church yard. The church is located in the picturesque medieval village of Stokenham, the name being derived from the Saxon Stoc-en-Hamme meaning the stock farm building, with its thatched roof cottages encompassing the village green.
If you are interested in the history of the church and the surrounding area The Story of Stokenham Parish Church is available to purchase for £1 plus the cost of postage via the Parish Office.
Accessibility
The church has a small car park opposite the Church House Inn, which is enclosed by a post and rail fence. There is a donation box next to the gate and all funds raised go to the upkeep of the church. The nearest access from the car park is up the steps to the war memorial. There is step-free access to the church yard through the lych-gate to the north of the church. There are steps up to the church door and steps down from the porch. Well behaved dogs on a short lead may be taken into the church.
St Martin of Tours, Sherford
A small 14th century church, situated on a hill in the centre of the village of Sherford and built of local Charleton slate in Gothic decorated style (except the square tower which was added in the fifteenth century). The church was dedicated to St Martin of Tours in 1457.
It is not known how it came about but before 1291AD Sherford Church became a chapelry of Stokenham Church, and this arrangement continues to the present day.
The carved rood screen bears paintings of the apostles. There is evidence that the paintings were damaged by the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.
In 1850 the church had a ring of 5 bells, a 6th bell was added in the late 19th century. In 1913 John Taylor of Loughborough recast the ring of six bells.
Situated on a winding country lane, a mile from the crossroad a Frogmore, the village of Sherford was removed from the control of Chillington when it was granted to the Abbott of Battle (a title given to the abbot of Battle Abbey in Sussex) by King William following the Battle of Hastings. In Anglo-Saxon times the village was called Scireford meaning clear ford. A road now crosses over the bubbling stream which flows through a culvert.
If you are interested in the history of the church and the surrounding area a book has been written by J.R. Goodman, One Thousand Years of Sherford.
The congregation at St Martin’s have gatherings throughout the year utilising the nearby village hall.
Accessibility
Free parking is available at the village hall for visitors to the church. There is step-free access into the church. Well behaved dogs on a short lead may be taken into the church.
St Andrews, Beesands
St Andrews is a daughter church (an additional church in a parish other than the parish church) of St Michael and All Angels, located on the seafront in the village of Beesands.
There is not much information available about the history of St. Andrew's, with most of what we know been obtained from local people and from inside the church itself.
On the site of the present church a reading room was built and paid for by the residents of the village of Beesands. At some time this reading room became it is thought a 'mission church'. Much later on the 12th August 1951 it was dedicated to St. Andrew (the first disciple and first missionary of Christ) by the Bishop of Exeter.
Beesands is a tiny fishing village of less than 100 residents situated on the edge of Start Bay. A Taize service is held in the church on the third Sunday of each month and on Sundays (or sometimes Bank Holiday Mondays) from mid-April to late October a group of wonderful volunteers sell refreshments and delicious homemade cakes to raise funds, over half of which are donated to charity with the remainder going to the upkeep of the church.
Accessibility
Free parking is available in the village. There is level access into the church. Well behaved dogs on a short lead may be taken into the church.
Our Team
Reverend Mark Neave
Priest in Charge
Reverend Mark Neave is the Priest-in-Charge of the Start Bay Mission Community and was licensed to his new ministry by the Bishop of Plymouth on 8th June 2022 at a service at St Mary’s, Charleton
A native of rural Norfolk, Mark studied civil engineering at Manchester, Surrey, and Loughborough Universities, later receiving a theology degree from the University of Durham. He has been a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers since 1982 and his professional career has involved him in the design and building of bridges in diverse areas of England, Wales and Australia. Immediately prior to ordination he was Group Director of Bridge Engineering for a large firm in the Southwest, responsible for strategic business planning and the management of structural design teams. He prepared for ordination here in Devon on the Southwest Ministry Training Course.
Mark was admitted as a Reader in the Church of England in 2016 and ordained in 2019; since then he has ministered in the rural multi-parish benefice of the Whiddon Team on the northern fringe of Dartmoor.
Mark and his wife Rose reside at Charleton Rectory
The Rectory
West Charleton
Kingsbridge
Devon
TQ7 2AJ
Tel: 01548 721 306
Email: mark.neave@live.co.uk
Sue Mckenzie
Church Warden and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Judy Dix
Deputy Church Warden
Juliet Towell
Deputy Church Warden and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leader
John Shepherd
Treasurer
Vacancy
Organist and Choir Director
Jereme Darke
Captain of the Bell Tower
St Michael and All Angels
jereme.darke@btinternet.com
Ben Johnson
Captain of the Bell Tower
St Martin of Tours
Baptisms & Confirmations
In the waters of baptism we begin a new life. We are born into a new relationship with the God who loves us and into the family which will be with us to eternity.
Weddings
A wedding is one of life’s great moments, a time of solemn commitment as well as good wishes, feasting and joy.