The church plate would almost certainly have been looted when Saint Winifred's was vandalised, if not by the extremists themselves, then by opportunists following in their wake. A Church report written in 1301 says the church possessed a
`good silver chalice, gilt within and without, and all other requirements in sufficiently good condition.'
The oldest plate the church now possesses dates from about the
same period as the gallery. The silver communion chalice and paten
were made in about 1570 by Jons, the earliest known silversmith
to submit his work to the Exeter Assay Office. The chalice is
very beautiful in design and workmanship. It is six and three-quarter
inches high, and three and a half inches in diameter. The paten
is very small; three and three-quarter inches high and one and
a quarter inches in diameter. it is almost identical in size and
shape with that used in the eleventh century by Bishop Leofric,
Devon and Cornwall's last Saxon bishop and the man responsible
for wresting Branscombe back from Danish occupation. it is now
preserved in Exeter Cathedral library. A larger paten, by its
hallmark made in 1785, is used for a reserve of bread. It is six
and a quarter inches in diameter. A paten is a plate, or shallow
dish, on which the bread is laid during the celebration of the
Eucharist. A tankard which from the hallmark dates from about
1720, bears the inscription:
`EX DONO JOCOSAE WILSON DE BRANSCOMB
2do AUGti 1730
DEFUNCTAE'
(given by Joshua Wilson of Branscombe, died 2nd August 1730)
It was made by John Elston junior, of Exeter.
The alms-plate is not dated, but is of Sheffield Plate and therefore
cannot be earlier than 1740.
Drawings © 1996 Angela Lambert
© 1996 Ronald Branscombe branscombe@globalnet.co.uk
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This page last updated: 15 August 1996 09:55:52