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Summary

The church mainly dates to the 15th century but has 13th century origins and may stand on the site of an earlier church. It was restored in the later 19th century. It has a fine 15th century screen and the stairs to the rood loft were rediscovered in a buttress in the late 19th century. It also has nearly 60 carved bench ends. The church is particularly associated with the Raleigh family. There is a family pew with a coat of arms and the date, 1537.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1204468: CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 4842
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY08SE/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (I)
• Tide Project: 21/01/2022

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Built, XIII to XV - 1201 AD (Between) to 1500 AD (Between))

Full description

Brushfield, T., 1891, The Church of All Saints, East Budleigh, 239-305 (Article in Serial). SDV57396.

The Church of All saints comprises a nave and aisle, chancel, entrance porch and a tower in central position at west end of nave. It is constructed of squared stone laid in random courses. The interior is plastered apart for the dressings around the windows and doors. Beer stone used in all dressings, mullions, tracery, etc. There is no clerestory. It has a slightly pointed, ribbed barrel roof with carved bosses at the intersections. The principals and main timbers are of oak. The roof is slated.
The two aisles are separated from the nave on each side by arcades, each comprising four arches supported on three piers with half piers at either end. The work of the south side is not as good as that of the north. The capitals ornamented mainly with foliage and four-leaved flowers but there is a figure of a horse on the north side of the chancel arch, and a human mask on the west pier of the south aisle.
The mullions and tracery of the north aisle windows are modern but the rest of the stonework is original.
The main entrance is by the south porch which has a stone seat on either side. The doorway has a pointed arch. There appears to have originally been a stoup in the east wall of the porch close to the door. A sundial over the front of the porch has also gone; it is referred to in the church wardens accounts for 1722.
The north wall of the chancel has been altered due to a new organ chamber and vestry, the latter found to occupy the site of an earlier one. The east wall was rebuilt in 1866. There is a piscina in the south wall. The remarkable oak communion table, which has three drawers within it, was probably originally a vestment chest. The oak rood screen has been extensively repaired and repainted. Recent investigative work on the large buttress at the junction of the chancel and south aisle found the remains of the circular stone staircase which led to the rood loft together with two hagioscopes or squints.
The embattled tower is of three stages, each separated by projecting plain string course. The west doorway has a pointed arch and the west window is of three lights, with trefoil heads
The font is of Beer stone with an octagonal bowl. It is carved and was originally coloured.
Traces of fresco paintings were found during recent alterations.
There has probably been a church on the site since the early Norman or even pre-Norman period.
See article for full details including a list of stained glass and excerpts from the Churchwardens Accounts.

Brushfield, T. N., 1892, The Church of All Saints, East Budleigh. Part 2, 243-245 (Article in Serial). SDV15399.

The parish accounts for 1689-1690 record, 'pd for an hours glasse 9d'. The sandglass would have stood on the pulpit or been suspended near it.

Brushfield, T. N., 1894, The Church of All Saints, East Budleigh. Part 3, 237-295 (Article in Serial). SDV109146.

Article with details from the parish registers which were first compiled in the mid 16th century, a list of vicars from 1261, the vicarage and tithes.

Brushfield, T. N., 1894, The Churchwardens' Accounts of East Budleigh, 335-400 (Article in Serial). SDV107199.

Article on the Churchwardens' Accounts which survive in two volumes covering the years 1663-4 to 1836.

Rose-Troup, F., 1932-1933, Roger Conant's Homes in England and New England, 134-135 (Article in Serial). SDV102026.

The author reconstructs the interior as it would have been in the 17th century. Postulates a Saxon origin

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: South Devon, 125 (Monograph). SDV336217.

Copeland, G. W., 1963, Proceedings of the 101st annual meeting, 21 (Article in Serial). SDV114371.

Weddell, P. J., 1986, The Excavation of Medieval and Later Houses and St. Margaret's Chapel, Exmouth 1982-1984, 107-141 (Article in Serial). SDV109145.

Matthew Mundy, vicar in 1779, complained of his living, 'the whole but a scanty living for a clergyman'. His complaints are usually held responsible for the demise of St. Margaret's Chapel, Exmouth

Department of Environment, 1987, East Budleigh, 80-82 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV102027.

Parish church with 13th century origins, now all 15th century (probably 1420-55) since the Arms of Bishops Lacy survive in the glass in the north aisle. Restored in 1884 with a new vestry by R. M. Fulford. Many other features. See DoE list for full details.

Greenhow, H., 1996, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV346922.

Several Elizabethan bench ends have recently been moved. One pew, to the rear of the pulpit, has been removed and its Elizabethan bench end fixed clumsily to the wall, so that it sits on a piece of pipework at floor level.

Fisher, J., 1999, East Devon Conservation Area Appraisals: East Budleigh, 3, 5-7, 9 (Report - non-specific). SDV346582.

On entering the conservation area from the south, the view is dominated by the tower of All Saints Church. It is mainly of the 15th century and built of red sandstone but with imposing Beer stone arcades. It is one of the few churches locally to have been carefully restored in the 19th century (1884-87) and thus kept a fine 15th century screen, and although some have been removed there are nearly 60 carved bench ends. The church and village are much visited because of their association with the Raleighs, and the family pew with coat of arms and date of 1537 is the first on the north side of the nave. Other details: Maps, photographs.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2181 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Church of All Saints. 13th century origins (Saxon origin also suggested), rebuilt 15th century. Listed Grade I.
SMR.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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