Church recording is no longer supported by The Arts Society but the work continues under a separate organisation in our area and The Arts Society Totnes continues to fund the activity.

Church Recording is making a record of the contents of the church - windows, memorials, woodwork, stonework, textiles etc. It is a very accurate, careful and well-researched record of the contents at that time. It is a record, rather than a historical study. The details of measurements, content, design, designer, date are taken, and then written up in a very precise format. The group only records what they see and do not make artistic or quality judgments.

Primarily, a bound copy of the record is for the church. Photocopies are given to the Diocesan Archives and the libraries of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Council for the Care of Churches and The Arts Society. A set of photographs is also lodged with the Council for the Care of Churches.

We are now recording at Modbury a church with a lot of items to be recorded. We try to record churches in different parts of the area so that the same people are not travelling far each time. We are happy to include new people in our team and indeed we are expanding in numbers, and if anyone else wishes to join us they would be most welcome.  Whilst newcomers may be thrown in at the deep end they are not cast adrift.  There is guidance from the existing team, books and detailed examples to work from and we usually have at least one training day a year in the South West area on some topic of current general interest.  Do come and have a look or get in touch with our Group Leader. We meet on the mornings of the second and fourth Thursdays of each month for a couple of hours. Our current Group Leader is Philip Palmer, 01803 762244 or philip.palmer@live.com