The ecclesiological movement and its antecedents in Devon : a study of 19th-century churches, church furnishings and church restoration in an English county
This thesis seeks to explore how the physical fabric of Devon churches reflects changing perceptions of the role of the Church in society during the 19th century; how churchmen, architects and craftsmen of the period employed architecture and liturgical planning to reflect a revived national Church with a new sense of its connection to the past, to the great ages of Christian civilisation, and a strong sense of its duty and mission to all members of society. Nineteenth-century furnishings are not well understood as an archaeological resource: they are disappearing fast as more and more churches succumb to fashionable re-ordering schemes, yet many are of high artistic quality and even the least among these artefacts reveals much about the people and the society which created them. Church interiors of all periods are precious resources in that they clearly reflect contemporary religious and social controversies. Church furnishings can powerfully embody and reveal the character of a place and people at the time of their creation. They may survive as complete period pieces, or may have accumulated incrementally, each alteration reflecting changing trends in churchmanship and the progress of archaeological and
Parker, R. W.
Victorian ; Churches ; ecclesiologist ; ecclesiology ; Exeter ; Devon ; Church Restoration ; Church Furnishings ; Diocese of Exeter
The ecclesiological movement and its antecedents in Devon : a study of 19th-century churches, church furnishings and church restoration in an English county. This thesis seeks to explore how the physical fabric of Devon churches reflects changing perceptions of the role of the Church in society during the 19th century; how churchmen, architects and craftsmen of the period employed architecture and liturgical planning to reflect a revived national Church with a new sense of its connection to the past, to the great ages of Christian civilisation, and a strong sense of its duty and mission to all members of society. Nineteenth-century furnishings are not well understood as an archaeological resource: they are disappearing fast as more and more churches succumb to fashionable re-ordering schemes, yet many are of high artistic quality and even the least among these artefacts reveals much about the people and the society which created them. Church interiors of all periods are precious resources in that they clearly reflect contemporary religious and social controversies. Church furnishings can powerfully embody and reveal the character of a place and people at the time of their creation. They may survive as complete period pieces, or may have accumulated incrementally, each alteration reflecting changing trends in churchmanship and the progress of archaeological and
ecclesiological movement antecedent devon study th_century church church furnishing church restoration english county seek_explore physical fabric devon church reflect_change perception_role church society churchman architect period employ architecture liturgical planning reflect revive national church new sense connection past great age christian civilisation strong_sense duty mission member_society nineteenth_century furnishing well_understood archaeological_resource fast church succumb fashionable ordering scheme yet_many high artistic quality even least among artefact reveals_much people society_create them church interior periods resource clearly reflect_contemporary religious social controversy church furnishing embody reveal character place people time creation may survive complete period piece may accumulate incrementally alteration reflect_change trend churchmanship progress archaeological