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Thorncombe: The Consecration of St. Mary’s Church in 1867

Tuesday, October 15th 1867 was to be an important day for the parishioners of Thorncombe. Walter Hamilton, The Bishop of Salisbury, was coming to consecrate their new church but the day also brought torrential rain, which was to hinder proceedings. The weather being so bad the attendance of clergy and gentry was far less than would otherwise have been the case; though, that said, there was a sizeable gathering to greet The Bishop, who had to wait in his carriage for half-an-hour because the Chancellor never arrived. It was decided that Archdeacon Sanctuary should deputise.

Eventually, proceedings got underway and Psalm 24 was sung in procession and the Consecration service began. Then it was the turn of the churchyard to be consecrated and this required the Bishop and clergy to perambulate the ground; in the circumstances not a very pleasant undertaking.

Ankle deep in mud, the planks provided, having sunk into the mire, the party set off managing to keep themselves upright despite the muddy clay and slush. The laity was not quite so adept and one lady fell, face down into the muddy ground, while another left her galoshes in the mud and those who had been able to keep their balance emerged will full boots. Their reward for their perseverance was a fine lunch laid out in a tent that had been erected in the churchyard.

The new church was built at a cost of £4,000 using much of the rubble from the former church, which had been demolished eighteen months earlier. The foundation stone for the new church had been laid on April 26th 1866 by Margaret Bragge, the widow of Colonel Bragge of Sadborow House.

 (For more about the old church and the parish see our article ‘Thorncombe’ in that category.)

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