The village community is settled around the historic church of St John the Baptist. The church goes as far back as the C12th with it’s architectural fame resting on its Victorian restoration in 1874, in the gothic style, by the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott. Scott was invited to remodel the local parish church whilst doing work on Exeter Cathedral at the request of the Rector, John Wollocombe.
https://north-tamar-churches.org/
https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/9203/
Gilbert Scott Whilst Sir George Gilbert Scott was working at Exeter Cathedral he received a request from the rector, Mr Wollacombe and Mr Blackburn to restore their church. He undertook this between 1872-5. In 1872 an initial report by Baker-King was completed and the builder, Blatchford of Tavistock, appointed.
https://gilbertscott.org/st-john-the-baptist-stowford/
Historic England Parish church. Some evidence of C14 work at the east end; C15 nave, south aisle, west tower. 1874 restoration and north aisle by Sir Gilbert Scott with evidence of considerable C19 rebuilding, late C19 south west vestry. Stone rubble with granite dressings and slate roof with C19 ridge tiles, some C19 freestone dressings. Courses of granite lacing to the tower. Mostly Perpendicular. The chancel and south chancel chapel arches may be C14 but were altered in the late C15 probably when the south aisle was rebuilt.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1105532
Gurgles Stone
Historic England Memorial stone. Probably C7 (Pearce). Standing stone with inscription running vertically down the stone in Insular Majuscule lettering, variously interpreted as "GURGLES", "GUNGLEI", "GOMGEL" or "GUNGLEL". Susan M. Pearce, The Kingdom of Dumnonia (1978).
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1105497
Celtic Inscribed Stones Project 'Stowford, by the A30, now a picturesque and isolated village, is centred on a well defined lann on a slight slope. By its entrance stands the vertically inscribed pillar'.
Thomas, A. C. (1994) And Shall These Mute Stones Speak? Post-Roman Inscriptions in Western Britain. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p317, see also p319, Fig. 18.6
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/cisp/database/site/stwfd.html
'The stone was first recorded in 1838 by Kempe who said 'much praise is due to the Rev. Mr Johnes, who caused this curious relic to be taken up from the road side and preserved in the church-yard'...In May 1870 W.C. Borlase described the stone in the churchyard, 'standing on the top of the hedge, to the right of the entrance gate'. In spite of the word 'hedge' Borlase's description and the accompanying illustration suggest that the stone was probably then in its present position'.
Okasha, E. (1993) Corpus of Early Christian Inscribed Stones of South-west Britain. Leicester: Leicester University Press p268
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/cisp/database/stone/stwfd_1.html