Yealm and Erme Mission Community

Bringing the love of Christ to all generations 

Wembury

St Werburgh Church

Wembury, Devon, PL9 0HN.

Contact

Email: churchesoffice@gmail.com

Giving

History

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Holy Communion

Sun 1st Dec 11.00
Wembury
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Baptism / Celebrate

Sun 8th Dec 12.00 / 15.00
Wembury
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Order 2 (BCP)

Sun 15th Dec 08.00
Wembury
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Carol Service

Sun 22nd Dec 15.00
Wembury
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Family Service/Midnight HC

Tues 24th Dec 17.00/23.30
Wembury
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Christmas HC

Weds 25th Dec 09.30
Wembury
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No service

Sun 29th Dec 10.00
Wembury
Joint Service at N F

 

About the village

Wembury is a parish which is geographically in two halves, located by the sea with beaches of Wembury Bay and Bovisand beach. On one side of the parish are Wembury, Knighton, Thorn and Hollacombe and on the other side are Down Thomas, Heybrook Bay, Gabber and Wembury Point. The area of the Parish is 3773 acres (1527 hectares) with a population of slightly under 3000 residents.

It is situated wholly within the South Devon National Landscape (formerly known as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and the Plymouth Sound and Estuaries candidate Special Area of Conservation. Offshore is sited the Wembury Voluntary Marine Conservation Area, chosen in recognition of its marine wildlife and contained within Wembury Point Site of Special Scientific Interest, while the coastline forms part of the South Devon Heritage Coast. The Devon Wildlife Trust oversees the Wembury Marine Centre situated near Wembury beach and car park, which seeks to explain and educate, particularly school children, about the marine environment. Since 1981 the Parish has been twinned with Loc Maria Plouzane, a village on the Brittany coast seven miles west of the naval port of Brest in a beautiful setting similar to our own.

The Parish Church, is dedicated to St Werburgh. It is a historic grade one listed building overlooking the sea, including Wembury beach and the Great Mewstone; further out to sea is the Eddystone lighthouse. The lovely Anglican church of St Werburgh is one of fourteen churches dedicated to that saint (not all still in use), the present structure dates from around the fourteenth century, although there are grounds to believe that it had predecessors as far back as the ninth century. Registers of Births and Deaths run unbroken from 1611, and Marriages from 1612. The church has two organists, a choir, a team of bell ringers and an active PCC. In 2024 the bells underwent a complete overhaul and restoration.

There is a shop, village hall, recreation ground including a play park and pub on both sides of the parish. St Werburgh Church, the local primary school, Doctors surgery and Marine Centre are located on the Wembury side of the parish. On each side of the parish there are many different activities and social events for all age groups including a Mothers Union which has just celebrated 100th anniversary. There is also a Playgroup, Preschool, Forest School, Scout group, two WIs, cricket club, sailing club, riding school, allotment association, local history society, stiichers and many more.

There are two main beaches in the parish, Wembury Beach and Bovisand beach, as well as much smaller sandy or rocky beaches along the coastal path. Wembury beach is a small sandy beach which is safe for children to play and to swim in the sea. Rocky outcrops also provide interesting rock pools to explore. The Old Mill Cafe is situated adjacent to the beach and provides a good selection of food and other shopping facilities. Car parking is available at the National Trust Car Park situated between St Werburgh’s church and the beach. Adjacent to the beach is the Marine Centre which provides information about the sea and beach environment in the region. The coastal path touches the beach at this point and there are excellent walks for miles in each direction from the beach, with magnificent views along the coast. The coast-to-coast walk, ’Two moors Way’ starts at Wembury beach and finishes In Lynmouth Norh Devon

Bovisand beach is situated in Down Thomas. The overall beach is divided into four beach areas which are separated by rocky outcrops, providing many rockpools to explore. The three main sandy beaches provide a safe bathing and play area for children. A Cafe and shop is situated on the cliff above the beach in front of which is a large grassed area where children can play. Pay car parking is available along the cliff top with access down to all four beaches. The coastal path runs along the top of the cliff and provides access to the beaches and miles of super walking with magnificent views over Plymouth.

Wembury Point and Heybrook Bay have access to the coastal path which provides miles of excellent walking; towards Wembury in one direction and towards Bovisand in the other direction. At various points along the path there are accesses down to the beach, which can vary from sandy to rocky. Limited parking is available alongside the road at Heybrook Bay and there is also parking at Wembury point. The Eddystone pub in Heybrook Bay is a short walk away and has super views over the sea. Stitchers

History

The Church is one of four in the country dedicated to St Werburgh (7th century Saxon Abbess). It is picturesquely sited on rocks above Wembury beach; unusually it is built outside the village, with views over the Yealm Estuary and Mewstone, and surrounded by National Trust land. It serves the parish of Wembury, including Down Thomas and Heybrook Bay, and the surrounding communities.

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