ST ANDREW'S CHURCH

Sir William de Ferrers commenced building the church and in 1258 his son, Reginald, was admitted as the first rector. The church is tall, airy and cruciform, unlike its neighbouring Norman granite churches which were mostly squat and solid with massive towers and without cross aisles.

Somes seventy years later his grandson, also William, extended and completed the church. The following is taken from the Devon Local Studies page: "The church (St. Andrew) is exceptionally interesting. It was rebuilt (except the tower) by Sir William de Ferrers c. 1330-33, who established a collegiate church here for an archpriest and four other priests and a deacon living as a community. The building was altered in the 15th century by the enlargement of the Decorated S. transept into a full aisle with granite arcades. Much excellent 14th century work remains untouched, though some of the Decorated windows were altered in the 17th century (cf. the S. transept). The 14th century glass in the E. window is reputed to be the oldest in Devon except one or two windows in Exeter Cathedral. Among the other notable features of the church are the vigorously carved Norman font (late 12th century, of Hurdwick stone); the 16th century. seats, carved bench-ends, and book-rests; the 17th century fireplace in the N. transept; and the medieval tombs. The canopied tomb with effigies in the chancel is that of Sir William de Ferrers and his wife, the rebuilders of the church. In the N. transept is an earlier Ferrers tomb and (effigy, and also a handsome table tomb which is almost certainly that of the 2nd baron Willoughby de Broke (d. 1522)."

A later addition were the south aisle, porch and Lady Chapel and tower abutting on the west end.

Notable in the church's history is the fact that the artist Charles Alfred Stothard fell to his death from a ladder near the altar in the church while making drawings of the medieval stained glass window in 1821. See the Church Monuments Society page for full details. Mr Stothard is buried in the church graveyard and there is a plaque in his memory in the church.

There is also a memorial in the church to ten New Zealand soldiers who were accidentally killed at Bere Ferrers Station in 1917 during World War One. Full details of the event are at the Devon Heritage page and here.

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