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Summary

Former parish church, now chapel-of-ease, dating mainly from the late 15th to early 16th century century. The interior destroyed by fire, when a fine rood screen was lost, and rebuilt in 1912.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1306112: CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 4961
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19NE/22
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 84923

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Built, XV to XVI - 1401 AD to 1600 AD (Between))
• CHAPEL OF EASE (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

HOLMAN, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV73304.

A seating plan of 1755 is described and illustrated. There is an accompanying list of the congregation (holman).

DEAN MILLES, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99074.

Respondent to dean milles questionnaire believed it was built around 1482, replacing the chapel of st michael (dean milles).

PANTHER, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99817.

The foundations of an earlier church were discovered when excavating to form a heating chamber in 1894. A human skeleton, lying n-s, was built into the foundations of the e running wall (panther).

BLAGDON, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99822.

Although many memorials perished in the fire which destroyed the old church of honiton in 1911, the blagdon monuments are still there. The floor slab of john blagdon, 1694, is in the north chancel aisle, somewhat injured but still legible (blagdon).

COXHEAD 1964, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99825.

Churchwardens accounts for re-casting of bells in 1611 given (coxhead 1964).

BAYER + TURTON, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99827.

An archaeological assessment + recording were undertaken by ea at st. Michael's church in july 2000 during groundwork for the construction of a new drain and wall against the e wall of the church. No evidence of earlier archaeological deposits or dating was observed or retrieved. The 0.7m high footings for the eastern wall were exposed showing that they only extended to 0.4m below the existing ground level. The c15 ground level was possibly marked by the position of the stone plinth (bayer + turton).

DCMS:26/9/2002, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99828.

Listed grade ii* (dcms:26/9/2002).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99830.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)412.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99831.

Panther, t. B. /tda/72(1940)127/45th. Report of scientific memoranda committee.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99832.

Adams, m. /dcnq/6(1910-1911)193-195/st michael's church, honiton.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99833.

Rose troup, f. /tda/30(1898)121.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99834.

Osa=sy19ne13.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99835.

Pevsner, n. /the buildings of england: north devon/(1952)182-183.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99836.

Cresswell, b. F. /jbaa/33(1927)161/devonshire churches: the buildings and builders.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99837.

Chanter, j. R. /tda/22(1890)61-65/2nd report on devon records.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99838.

Saunders, h. /dcnq/2 part 1(1902-1903)24/monument in st. Michael's church, honiton.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99839.

Skinner, a. J. P. /dcnq/8,pt.1(1914-1915)127/church of st. Michael, honiton.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99840.

Skinner, a. J. P. /dcnq/9,pt.1(1916-1917)253/st. Michael's church, honiton: memorial inscription destroyed in the fire march 26th, 1911.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99841.

Cresswell, b. F. /dcnq/10,pt.1(1918-1919)19-22/blagdon memorials, st. Michael's, honiton.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99842.

A. J. P. S. /dcnq/10,pt.1(1918-1919)22/blagdon memorials in st. Michael's, honiton.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99843.

Holman, h. W. /dcnq/11,pt.1(1920-1921)270-275 fig/honiton church in 1755.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99844.

Skinner, a. J. P. /dcnq/11,pt.1(1920-1921)305/honiton church in 1755.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99845.

Coxhead, j. R. W. /dnq/29(1962-1964)220-221/an inventory of st. Michael's church, honiton.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99846.

Coxhead, j. R. W. /dcnq/29(1964)257-259/the bells of st. Michael's church, honiton in the xvii century.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV99847.

Aph=dap/fb 5(12/7/1985).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99848.

Doe/hhr:honiton/(21/3/1972)2.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99849.

Porter, j. /dcnq/36.2(1987)/church building in eighteenth century honiton.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV99850.

Aph=dap/gs1;2(9/12/1986).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99851.

Dixon, t. + weddell, p. J. /archaeological and historical appraisal of the town of honiton east devon/(1995)4,5/(ea report 95.49).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99852.

Cherry, b. + pevsner, n. /buildings of england/(1989)494.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99853.

Des=bayer, o. J. + turton, s. D. /archaeological recording at st. Michael's church, honiton/(2000)/ea report 00.44.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99854.

Dcms schedule/(597/5/2/(1/6/49)/(26/9/2002)/in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99855.

Des=dean milles parochial survey/questionnaire/(1747-62)/summary (m. Dodd,2003)/in smr.

COXHEAD, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126606.

An inventory for the church in 1643 given and discussed (coxhead).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177625.

Originally a fine example of perpendicular style before fire; rectangular plan with transepts centrally placed, not projecting. Wagon roofs best features of interior. Main architectural features described (pevsner).

ROSE-TROUP, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV22906.

The church is on the site of an early 15th century chapel of mendicant friars (rose troup).

SKINNER, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV32218.

Marble memorial destroyed in fire of 1911. The author reproduces the texts that were destroyed (skinner).

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV326802.

Now chapel of ease. Dates mainly from late 15th century. Interior destroyed by fire and rebuilt 1912 (doe).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV335.

Church of st. Michael. Late 15th. Century and early 16th. Large windows of clear glass; chancel probably built by john takell (d.1529) as suggested by the date on the chancel piers. Interior gutted by fire in 1911 when the fine rood screen was destroyed. Several interesting memorials remain including the tomb of thomas marwood the physician (d.1617). The church stands on a steep hillside above the town (hoskins).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV412.

Chanter cites description by powell after his visit in 1811. Manuscript in british museum (chanter).

Foster, K. + Skinner, R., 01/2016, A30 to A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon (Report - Assessment). SDV359378.

DBA undertaken along a corridor associated with the A30/A303 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn. This study is intended to inform the development of options for improvements to the A30/A303 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn.

The Church of St Michael is located in a prominent hillside position on the southern outskirts of Honiton. The church is set within a secluded churchyard but has a tower which is locally prominent. Views from the church towards the Site are entirely screened by modern housing and the tower is not visible from the Site due to intervening modern housing on the eastern side of Honiton. As such the Site is not considered to be within the setting of the church and development would cause no harm to its significance.

Bligh Bond, F., 1903, Devonshire Screens and Rood Lofts. Part II, 464 (Article in Serial). SDV6113.

The rood screen extended across the chancel and north and south chapels. Of eleven bays with three sets of doors; groining and cornices with crestings. Renovated in 1880 when armorial panel removed,

Lamb, S., 1957, Some notes on 18th century furnishings in the parish churches of Devon, 217 (Article in Serial). SDV65364.

Rood screen destroyed in fire of 1911.

Timms, S. C., 1976, The Devon Urban Survey, 1976. First Draft, 120, 125, 132 (Report - Survey). SDV341346.

St. Michael's Church was the parish church until the dedication of St. Paul's Church in the town centre in the 19th century. It has been suggested that St. Michael's was the focus for the late Saxon settlement of Honiton but the church is not documented until 1406. The present structure was restored after being severely damaged by fire in 1911. The churchyard is still used.

Fisher, J., 1999, East Devon Conservation Area Appraisals: Honiton, 3, 7, 13 (Report - non-specific). SDV346894.

St Michael's Church, the former Parish Church of Honiton and now a Chapel of Ease, is well concealed among trees on an elevated site over half a mile to the south. It is a distinguished building of the late 15th to early 16th century. The chancel was rebuilt circa 1500. The interior was gutted by fire in 1911 when a fine rood screen was lost. It contains the tomb of Thomas Marwood (died 1617). There are especially fine views over the town from this point.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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