The Parish
The Catholic parish of Dulverton covers the southern half of Exmoor with a scattered congregation. The Hon Mrs Aubrey Herbert of Pixton Park (the big white house overlooking Dulverton) facilitated its establishment during World War II. A building by the Pixton laundry was converted into a chapel, served by visiting priests until 1944, when Fr (later Canon) James O’Brien moved into a flat on the estate.
The Church in a stable
Mrs Herbert persuaded her friend, the architect Prof. Albert Richardson, to design a church for the town. Richardson, later President of the Royal Academy, gave is services free. When a disused stable off the High Street came on the market, Richardson adapted it, keeping features of his original design. The strong link with Pixton was maintained in the building of the new church. Spruce from Pixton, with other trees donated by Mr. Reginald Halse, then living at Barons Down, were cut to form the beams and rafters. The timber was cut in the old sawmill (now converted into a home) on the Pixton estate at Weir. This work was done by Fr (later Canon) Whelan (1950-4), voluntarily assisted by men of the parish. The church was opened in 1955. Traces of the old stable can be seen on the exterior east wall.
The Furnishings
From Pixton chapel came the sanctuary lamp (a gift from one who had half a winning Irish Sweepstake ticket!), the alter, the Eric Gill cricifix (above the altar), and perhaps the Portuguese dossal or hangings. The sanctuary chairs and bench were made at Holcombe Regis in Devon. The (16th century Hungarian?) statue of St Stanislaus (altar - left) stands on a plinth inscribed in memory of Canon MacDonald (1954-84). The fumed chestnut statue of St. George (altar - right), carved by Septimus Waugh, was the gift of Sir Mark Lennox-Boyd. The framed French prayer and votive stand (made by Bill Poirrier of Roadwater) to the left of the sanctuary were the farewell gift of the parish to Fr Caraman SJ (1986-98). The Lady shrine to the right has a copy of the 12th century Russian icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. The origin and date of the statue of Our Lady (by entrance) is presently unknown.
Windows
Two large circular ones contain Buckfast Abbey glass. On the left of the church the three stained-glass windows are by Chinks Grylls of Cannington. The first, in memory of Frank and Bubelah Rothwell, depicts the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit in the form of doves. The second, in memory of the first three priests to serve the parish, shows St Stanislaus (1030-1079), the patron of Poland, martyred bishop of Cracow, with, top left, the arms of the city of Cracow (the former episcopal see of Pope John Paul II), and, top right, the Polish eagle. The third window commemorates Margaret Fitzherbert: the centre panel by Irish stained-glass artist Evie Hone, based on a mediaeval statue of St Mary dug from the bogs of Connemara, is surrounded by emblems associated with the Forty English and Welsh martyrs, for whose canonisation Margaret Fitzherbert worked with Fr Caraman for several years. On the right of the church, four windows by Silas Wood of Birmingham represent the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) as depicted in the Apocalypse (Rev. 4, 6-8). The cost was covered by a bequest from Mary Elizabeth (Millie) Elston, Canon MacDonald’s housekeeper for many years. The panel in the baptistry windows, lent Mr Peter Gatacre, is Dutch painted glass, perhaps 16th century. It depicts a legend of St. John the Evangelist: challenged at Ephesus by a priest of the goddess Diana to drink a poisoned chalice without suffering harm, as John drank, the poison escaped from the chalice in the form of vipers (the priest became a Christian).
Paintings
St. John baptising Jesus (in the baptistry), and Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (above the main door), are by Richard Rothwell of Morebath.
Why St Stanislaus?
The dedication of the church is thought unique among English parish churches, and is credited to Auberon Herbert, Mrs Herbert’s son, who fought with the Polish forces in World War II, later devoting himself to the resettlement of Polish servicemen unable to return to Poland. The old calendar listed St. Stanislaus on May 7th (Cracow, May 8th), the new calendar on April 11th.
