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Summary

Cockington Parish Church

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1208547: CHURCH OF ST GEORGE AND ST MARY
• Listed Building (II*) 1208547: CHURCH OF ST GEORGE AND ST MARY
• Listed Building (II*) 1208547: CHURCH OF ST GEORGE AND ST MARY

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: S64M/6/112 (Illus)
• Torbay HER: MTO8895

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (XII to XXI - 1200 AD to 2050 AD (Between))

Full description

Torbay HER record (SMR record). SDV361984.

The parish church of nave and chancel with north and south aisles, is set in the landscaped grounds of Cockington Court: earliest fabric is13C, but most from 14C & 15C; restored in 1882-3 & 1916-20. The church has a typically Devon perpendicular exterior of red sandstone with red sandstone and Beerstone dressings and gable-ended slate roofs. The north porch is late 18C or 19C; the vestry on the south side of the west tower is 19C. The tower appears to contain evidence of a priest's chamber.The nave and aisle wagon roofs were replaced in 1950 incorporating old bosses. There is an ancient doorway blocked by the east wall of the north aisle. The rood screen which stands across the nave and aisles is much mutilated though the cornice and groining have been missing since 1844; part of the screen was incorporated into the eighteenth century altar rails until the beginning of the twentieth century. The parcloses remain. The choir stalls incorporate a couple of medieval misericords which are said to have come from Torre Abbey. The font is fifteenth century with an enriched Jacobean cover.The most interesting piece inside the church is the painted pulpit from Torre Church which is wholly Renaissance in its decoration.[1][2]

By 1920 both Watkin and Belaiew argued that Norse measurements were used in the construction of the church, based on a unit of 7 fee: 1 Sajene. They were brought to Russia in the ninth century by the Norse and to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.[3][4] Watkin further argued that the use of diagonal buttresses on the tower was a very early example, and that Cockington was the model for Ashton Church.[5] There is an external fireplace in the tower. [6]

A well preserved helmet with a moveable visor rests on a bracket fixed to the south wall of the chancel. Its purpose was probably decorative and from its position may have surmounted the tomb of Sir George Cary.[7][8]

Further references are in Cornelius [9][10] and Thompson [11]. The list description is at [12].

<01> Cherry, B. & Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, Pages 834-835 (Monograph). SDV361985.

X

<02> Bond, F.B., 1903, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p. 451 (Article in Serial). SDV362425.

X

<03> Belaiew, N., 1920, Journal of the British Archaeological Association, p. 203-204 (Article in Serial). SDV362426.

X

<05> Watkin, H.R., 1916-1917, Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries, p. 106 (Article in Serial). SDV362429.

X

<06> Clarke, K.M., 1922-1923, Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries, p.2 (Article in Serial). SDV362431.

X

<07> Watkin, H.R., 1918-1919, Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries, p. 124-5 (Article in Serial). SDV362430.

X

<08> Dymond, R., 1873, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.288-90 (Article in Serial). SDV362433.

X

<09> Cornelius, C.F., 1946, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.123-52 (Article in Serial). SDV362427.

X

<10> Cornelius, C.F., 1947, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.81-9 (Article in Serial). SDV362451.

X

<11> Thompson, A.H., 1913, Archaeological Journal, pp.471,475 (Article in Serial). SDV362428.

X

<12> Department of National Heritage, 1994, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.107-8; 885-1/16/371 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV362056.

X

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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