A History of St. Andrew`s Church, Charmouth

 The Reverend William Lowder Glover was Rector for 6 years from 1826. We have him to thank for the Rectory which was built in 1828 on an adjoining field. The drive was through the Churchyard and tomb stones were removed and placed against the west wall of the churchyard. This would have been Glebe land as  were the tennis courts. Roberts wrote in his “History of Lyme Regis and Charmouth” in 1834 that “a new Rectory House of good dimensions has been lately erected”. A century later, Mr Mills, a local builder found chalked on a beam in the roof - "W. Burges, Clifton, Bristol 1827", no doubt the builder of the property. Pigots Directory show him as a mason which would confirm this theory. The Poor Rates record that it was his Curate. Thomas Snow who was living there during the short time he held that position. Snow in the same rates is renting a neighbouring field from Isaac Cooke, the Church's patron. All three had their roots in Bristol and must have been good friends.
Glover was born in Bewdley, Worcs. in 1784. He went on to St. Edmunds Hall and Queens College, Cambridge where he received his B.A. in 1809 and M.A. in 1812. He married Rebecca Cooke of Clifton, Bristol in 1814, who was the niece of Issac Cooke. He was appointed Vicar of St. Pauls, Bedminster, near Bristol in 1821.
It was during his incumbency that there was a Cholera Outbreak in the village in August 1832 and a number of villagers died and were buried under a mound in the Church yard. The Parish Records show that it was proposed by Mr Wilson and seconded by Rev. B. Jeanes that a “temporary building be erected on the Glebe or on the spot granted by Rev. Mr. Snow, on behalf of Rev. Mr Glover for the interment of Cholera patients. That the building be if wood,10 feet by 12 feet, 2 feet from the ground 8 feet high. To be thatched, weather boarded, 2 windows to side, a common fireplace, brick chimney, to be whitewashed inside and tarred outside”.
After their time here the Glovers moved back to Bristol and he was a Curate at Bedminster, but died in 1838  aged just 54. His wife died in 1847. The watercolours below are by Diana Sperling who stayed at the Rectory and painted from it a view of the old church and another out to sea.

 The Church from the Rectory Window in 1828 by D. Sperling

 The Sea from the Rectory Window in 1828 by D. Sperling