PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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St Gabriel's Church is situated in Hyde Park Road, Mutley, Plymouth. The old parish of Pennycross took in all the land between what is now Central Park to the main Tavistock Road, down as far as Hyde Park. By the turn of the 19th century, this southernmost part of the parish was becoming more developed and it was thought necessary to erect a church to serve the parishioners in that area, who otherwise had a long walk to their parish church in Honicknowle Lane. Thus, St Gabriel's was one of seven new churches planned for the suburbs of Plymouth in 1906. At that time the 6,000 or so inhabitants of this end of the parish made use of an iron gymnasium which they rented from Plymouth College. Not only were Sunday services held there but also a Sunday School. Then in 1908 the authorities were offered 15,000 feet of land by Mr Robert Trelawny of Ham. The land was large enough for a church and church hall, which were to be in memory of Robert's daughter. He imposed two conditions: that the Bishop of Exeter and his successors should be the patrons of the future parish; and that all the seats in the church should forever be free and open, without money given or received. Large contributions towards the cost were given by Messrs Richard and Robert Bayly of Tor, Sir John Jackson of Pounds House, and Mr J Bright James. The services of Mr W D Caröe were engaged to design a building to accommodate 720 people and the Reverend J L Nightingale, MA., was appointed as curate-in-charge. The foundation stone was laid on May 22nd 1909 in due Masonic form, by the Provincial Grand Master of Devon, Mr G C Davie, JP. In 1910 the ecclesiastical parish of St Gabriel was formed from portions of St Pancras and Emmanuel and the Church was consecrated on Tuesday July 26th 1910 as a chapel of ease of St Pancras. At that trime onlyt four out of the five bays of the nave had been finished and the chancel was still to built. The cost had already reached £6,200 and a further £5,000 was required to complete it. The Church is built of stone in the Perpendicular style and consists of nave, north and south aisles, and chancel. The chancel was completed in 1924. The altar rails date from 1627 and came from St Bartholomew's Church at Lostwithiel, being presented by Colonel Hext. There is a memorial window in the north transept to those who fell in the Great War. It was designed by Messrs Kempe & Company. The high altar table came from the old church on the island of Lundy and was presented by the Reverend. W Heaven. In June 1915 the church hall was opened by the Headmaster of Plymouth College. The hall had originally stood in the playground of Hyde Park School and was used for recreation and refreshment purposes when the School was a First World War hospital. After the War Colonel and Mrs Mildmay, who had instigated the erection of the hut, gifted it to St Gabriel's and it was moved to the site alongside the Mutley side of the Church in May 1915. The hall was removed and replaced by social housing in 1997. The Lady Chapel was constructed using stone from the old St George's Church at Stonehouse, and was opened on June 11th 1955.
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