Church of St. Peter ad Vincula, Broad Hinton

The church was built in the 13th Century, but there are some pieces of early 12th Century masonry and there is a late 12th Century Priest’s doorway which has been moved to the organ chamber. It is possible that the masonry and the doorway was reclaimed and reused. It also has aspects from the 15th Century and some pieces from 1634 to 1635. There was probably a church in Broad Hinton in the 12th Century. It was restored in 1879 to 1880 by C.E Pointing. In the 13th Century the church was called St. Marys, and was later renamed St. Andrews in the 19th Century. The tower was built afterwards in the 15th or early 16th Century, and was made from limestone ashlar. The organ chamber (Where the late 12th Century Priest’s doorway was moved to), was formally a chapel.

There are four original chancel windows by Clayton and Bell. There are some very interesting monuments inside St. Andrew’s. One of the most captivating monuments is that to Sir Thomas Wroughton. He, without any hands, is kneeling on a cushion with his wife kneeling behind him, also on a cushion, in widow’s hood, with their eight children, who are also without hands, all kneeling on the frieze below. One story is that Sir Thomas found his wife reading the Bible and he took it from her and threw it into the fire. Maybe he later regretted his action and pulled the Bible out of the fire, damaging his hands? Possibly, he considered it sinful to read God’s words for one’s self; or was he simply infuriated to find his wife passing the time reading while there were greater issues to attend to? It’s unusual to find that his children’s hands are missing as well. Maybe it was to illustrate an aphorism that a father’s sins are effect his children. Sir Thomas’ wife has hands and is clutching the bible.

There are many other beautiful monuments inside the church, such as a reredos which is of Beer stone and which has a dog tooth ornament. The Beer stone is a charming pale honey-coloured stone from the eminent quarries near to the delightful fishing village of Beer in South Devon. Another monument is that of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Glanville who died fighting for the King at the battle of Bridgewater, 1645. Francis was the second son of Sir John Glanville. There is a message in Latin which surrounds the alabaster figure presented in amour. Above him are replicas of his sword, gauntlets, helmet and escutcheon.

The parish had a chalice, a paten and two flagons, given in 1677, stolen from the church in 1756, but they were soon recovered! Outside the church, the ground level was lowered to help stop damp occurring in the building. Rev. Robert Campbell Crokat M.A was vicar of Broad Hinton from 1895 to 1919. He was succeeded by Hugh Vaughham White, who was vicar from 1919-66. He then became canon.

The Church Registers are preserved from 1612 to the present time, but some are missing. The records for marriages are missing from 1620-5 and 1745-57. The records for burials are missing from 1678 to 1708 and 1743-57.