Swimbridge, Devon

5th April 2024

On our way home from our trip to north Devon we stopped off at Swimbridge to visit the parish church of St James.

The parish was the home of the Rev John “Jack” Russell, Vicar of Swimbridge and Rector of Black Torrington, who first bred the Jack Russell Terrier. Russell is said to have brought his first terrier, Trump, whilst he was studying at Oxford University and then bred from her to eventually originate the Jack Russell strain of terrier. John Russell died in 1883 and was buried in the graveyard of St. James’s Church; the village pub is named after him.

The parish church of St James at Swimbridge

Simon Jenkins: “The rood screen is outstanding even for Devon, spans both nave and aisles, every inch richly carved with stylised foliage in the fan-vaulted coving and with panels both Tudor and Art Nouveau”

Some of the carved ends of the pews date from the 16th century; others are of the 19th century

Nave ceiling: some parts are boarded and enriched with diagonal ribs, carved bosses and stylised suns. The original parts are painted blue. the parts restored in 1880 are plain

Fine stone pulpit, c 1500. Flying angels decorate the base. The figures represent (from left) Saints Paul, Peter, Augustine, Ambrose and Jerome. One head was damaged recently and work is going on to restore it and the pulpit as a whole.