Church of St Michael & All Angels, Princetown, Devon

Address:
Tavistock Road, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6RE
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Opening times:
Open daily
  • St Michael’s & All Angels does not occupy an ancient site, but was founded in the 19th century to serve the community which grew up around the nearby prison. Construction of the prison began in 1806, and the church followed in 1812–15. © Jen Bryant
  • The church was to be ‘executed upon the plainest and most economical style possible’, accommodating 500–600 people. The original designs, by John Walters, were for a simple rectangular building with a bell turret however, the plans were revised to include a bell tower and galleries. 
  • French and American prisoners of war assisted with the building works, and were paid 6d a day for their labour. © Jen Bryant
  • The east window - dating from 1910 - depicts the Life of Christ. The glass commemorates the American Prisoners of War incarcerated at Dartmoor prison who built the church.
  • Looking through the church, notice the great width of the nave and the narrow aisles. These were created by the insertion of the arcades, with their tapering piers and chamfered double arches in 1908–10. © Mike Kinsey 
  • © Mike Kinsey
  • © Mike Kinsey
  • © Mike Kinsey
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A church built by prisoners of war

This simple, slender-towered Dartmoor church was built between 1812-14 by prisoners captured in the Napoleonic Wars with France, and the War of 1812 with the United States - they were held at Dartmoor prison.

Cherry and Pevsner describe the location on Dartmoor as 'unquestionably the bleakest place in Devon'. It is 436 metres above sea level and exposed to high winds and twice the national average rain fall. The walls are of local granite and the interior is as plain as the exterior.

The east window contains stained glass of 1910 in memory of the American prisoners who helped to build the church.

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