The history of St Mary's wood carvings.

Exbourne has some finely carved bench ends dating from the late 19th century into the early 1900's the initial work that of Herbert Reed of Sidwell Street, Exeter and the carvings of 1911 which were made by Violet Pinwill, the first woman professional wood carver.

Violet was born in 1874, one of seven daughters to the Reverend Edmund Pinwill of Ermington near Ivybridge. She was encouraged by her mother to learn the art of wood carving and from 1890 together with sisters Mary and Ethel formed a professional company of wood carvers. Their first commission being restoration work in their father's church. Mary left in 1900 and Ethel moved away in 1907 leaving Violet to carry on and develop the business.

By the time of her death in 1957 she had carvings in over 180 churches in Devon and Cornwall, justifiably having gained a reputation for high quality finely detailed work, her plants and birds often being identifiable by type or species.

In March 1911 the Lord Bishop of Crediton dedicated the newly installed works at Exbourne. Designed by the accomplished architect Edmund H Sedding and crafted by Violet they include the choir bench ends and desks, including the desk panel showing the parable of "the sower" which is now near the font, also a small and delicate representation of St Gregory near the altar  and a semi kneeling angel also by the font and many other examples of her skills.

Violet Pinwill was almost certainly the first woman in Britain to be a professional wood carver, her last known work being a Second World War memorial plaque when aged 71 for the church where her career started  - at Ermington.