St Michael’s Church, Blackawton is opening its doors for a free open day on Saturday September 20 between 11am and 5pm, where visitors can learn about this village church’s hidden history.

Blackawton and Strete History Group (visit BASH: historybash.co.uk) will have a display and talks, and there will also be teas and homemade cakes from 2pm to 5pm courtesy of church volunteers.

A large, Grade I Listed village church dating in parts from the 14th and 15th centuries, St Michael’s is home to many beautiful historic features including an extremely rare rood screen built and decorated to commemorate the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

It also played its part in WWII when the village was evacuated in the preparation for the Normandy Landings as part of Operation Tiger. This is the first time that St Michael’s has hosted a Heritage Open Day.

St Michael’s has been standing for hundreds of years, and has seen much change over the years – but some of its most precious historical treasures have survived through civil wars, world wars, and an American army training exercise known as Operation Tiger that left other buildings in ruins.

As part of Operation Tiger in late 1943, 30,000 acres of South Hams countryside – including Blackawton village – were evacuated to allow American troops to practice for the D-Day landings on the abandoned beaches, streets and fields.

Whole farms were lost, and many of the 3,000 evacuees never returned home.

However, its wonderful hand-carved and painted wooden rood screen still survives – a rare surviving tribute to the ill-fated wedding of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

St Michael’s is also home to a Norman Font and some beautifully engraved ledger stones.

There will also be a completely original, unrestored 1942 Ford GPW Jeep on display, the exact age and model of the Jeeps the American soldiers would have driven down the newly-evacuated streets of Blackawton.

Visitors can extend their visit by heading to Torcross (an 8-mile drive) to see the famous American WWII tank that was pulled from the ocean in the 1980s and is on display in the car park as a memorial to those lost in Operation Tiger.

Or enjoy Blackawton village, with its well-stocked community shop and pretty country walks.

St Michael’s Church is open every day, and visitors are welcome any day of the year, but it’s well worth coming along on the September 20 to really learn its hidden history (and to enjoy some very good cake).

No need to book in advance, and no restriction on numbers.

Their Mission Community is made up of the parishes of Stoke Fleming, Strete, Blackawton and East Allington.

The church is part of the Diocese of Exeter, a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon.

It is one of the largest dioceses in England.

The Cathedral Church of St Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan Bishop of Exeter.

It is part of the Province of Canterbury.