St Faith's Church Dorstone

A Christian settlement has existed here since very early times. A stone church was certainly in existence here by 1256. Three pieces of a stone sill were found in 1826: JOHS. BR...........LAM: IN: HON ORE: BEA MARI SR'E: M:CC:LVI

Local legend links this Johannes de Brito to the infamous ‘Richard de Brito,’ one of the knights who murdered Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170. However, all reputable evidence suggests that the assassins were disinherited and banished to Jerusalem, and died there. The link is far more likely to be to a ‘le Breton’ (de Brito) family much nearer to home. John le Breton, Bishop of Hereford 1269 – 1275 was born in Abbeydore, and his heart burial stone is in Dore Abbey.

The Meredith Maddy Charity Boards show an extract from his will dated 31st August 1643.

By 1826 the church was in a ruinous state and, when it was rebuilt, a tomb was disturbed and in it was a 13thc. pewter Chalice and Paten - stolen from St Faith’s in 2005, and never recovered.

The interior was refitted with box pews and a balcony in the old churchwarden style, but was a poor structure. So, in 1889/90 this present building was constructed in the original Early English style.

The incumbents date from about c.1300, but from 1664 – 1953 all Rectors were members of the same Prosser-Powell family. The oak Reredos and the fine Clayton and Bell East Window are memorials to them.