Church Micro 6230...Huccaby Traditional Geocache

This Church at Huccably has the distinction of being the only Anglican Chapel in the Country to be dedicated to St Raphael. I have made this Church Micro a Traditional Cache due to the lack of possible places to get information from outside the actual Church.

Originally built in 1869 by the then Rector of Lydford Rev’d Morris Fuller, as a mission chapel to bring the gospel to those who lived too far from the parish church at Lydford. He also built the church of St Gabriel at Postbridge.

According to William Crossing the great Dartmoor writer the chapel was built on the site of some very old ruined cottages that we thatched with rye straw.

St. Raphael’s was also designed to act as both a place of worship on Sundays and as a schollhouse during the week. The scholars desks still remain in place and are used as pews.

As of October 1987 the church became a Grade II listed building (English Heritage Building ID: 92736) which in one sense gives it some protection but in another has proven expensive due to formalities involved with the recent improvements.

According to English Heritage a formal description of the church is that it is "constructed of granite rubble walls which were recently re-rendered in an effort to eliminate a damp problem. It is of a basic rectangular plan with no division between the chancel and nave. There are two 2-light granite mullion windows to its right - the left-hand one square-headed, the other, to the chancel, has arched lights. The cart window has 3 arched lights, the central one taller. Inside can be seen an A-frame roof and a magnificent granite hearth." 

The entrance to the church is on the south eastern side of the building along a newly lain granite pathway. At the northwestern end of the building a carved Crux pattee or Greek cross sits on the rooftop and opposite at the southwestern end is the small bell tower with a metal patriarchal cross. Originally the bell would be multifunctional insomuch as it would call the worshipers to church and the scholars to school. The vestry is attached to the southwestern end of the building. It is in February when the outside grounds are transformed by a carpet of snowdrops an annual spectacle which draws many visitors. At any time of the year there is a deep sense of peacefulness to be found here that is intensified by the melodic sound of the nearby West Dart river flowing along its seaward journey.

I have made this cache a Traditional so no sums here, however please take the time to come into the chapel as it has a very tranquil peace about it. Please Respect This Place Especially The Grounds, When The Snowdrops Are Beginning To Come Through The Plants Can Be Damaged If Stepped Over.