THE ACHIEVEMENTS of a famed collector of Devon folk songs are being marked on the centenary year of his death.

The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould, the squire and parson of Lewtrenchard, died in January 1924. He was a Victorian polymath who wrote over 1,200 publications and was probably one of the top ten writers of his day, with many of his writings in the collection of the Tavistock Subscription Library.

The Baring-Goulds were descended from an old Devon family that married a Baring from the famous banking family. Sabine was mostly self-educated and decided as a teenager to devote his life to the church at Lewtrenchard and his family house and its parish.

He took up a religious calling against the instructions of his father and was temporarily disinherited.

He started in a career as a teacher and wrote on varied subjects, including archaeology such as his excavations on Dartmoor. He wrote about the saints, religious papers, carols and hymns the best known of which is Onward Christian Soldiers.

He about legends like werewolves, fairy tales, travel books from across Europe and novels based locally and places he had visited. He is best known for the collecting and publishing Devon folk songs such as Widecombe Fair, The Devon Bellringing Song and A Cottage Well Thatched with Straw. He adjusted the songs to ensure make them acceptable to Edwardian society.

Sabine married Grace, a mill girl from his Sunday school, while on community welfare/missionary work in the then industrial Yorkshire town of Horbury. Grace was ‘coached’ to ensure she fitted his status. They had 15 children.

He was the vicar and Squire of Lewtrenchard for 40 yerars until his death. St Peter’s Church of Lewtrenchard, the manor house, now a hotel and the village of Lewdown bear his mark. His family’s coat of arms give the village pub its name - The Blue Lion.

Centenary events are being organised by local groups which started with a visit to St Peter’s Lewtrenchard by the former Bishop of Exeter, the Reverend Michael Langrish, followed by church events through the year with visiting choirs and preachers, such as from Horbury. The Tavistock Subscription Library has a week in April.

There are history events in Lewtrenchard such as Helen Wilson talking about the Pinwill sisters, who redecorated the Lewtrenchard church and a Blue Plaque is planned for the manor house (see page 8).

Folk and choral concerts, theatre and talks by groups like Wren Music are planned around the county ending with a music event on Saturday October 19 in Tavistock parish church.

Lewtrenchard WI, formed by Sabine’s daughter-in-law, is planning a flower festival. A bellringing event going around the churches mentioned in The Devon Bellringing Song. Details at: https://www.sbgcentenary.co.uk/