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Summary

Paignton Parish church

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1195097: PARISH CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, Church Street, Paignton
• Listed Building (I) 1195097: PARISH CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, Church Street, Paignton
• Listed Building (I) 1195097: PARISH CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

Other References/Statuses

• Torbay HER: MTO8898

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Post Roman to XXI - 410 AD? to 2050 AD)

Full description

Torbay HER record (SMR record). SDV361984.

The first Church at Paignton was a small wooden one. During the nineteenth century oak beams were found which may have been the scant remains of it. The second church was Norman, being built of local sandstone and Beerstone. Later a third church was built when Bronescombe was Bishop of Exeter and completed in about 1260, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It is larger than the usual parish church. [1]

The present parish church preserves some 12C elements, 13C features, a 14C porch and major 15C alterations including the tower. Restored in 1864 and 1911-14 with snecked vestries by W D Caroe. It is built of local red breccia and red Permian sandstone rubble with dressings in Beerstone, and Bathstone ones in 19C. The roofs are of slate. The building is one of Devon's larger medieval parish churches with a total length of 193 feet. It has a nave, chancel, west tower, north and south 4-bay embattled aisles; north and south transepts containing the Lady Chapel and the Kirkham chantry on the north and south respectively. The chancel includes thirteenth century windows as well as evidence that the arcades are thirteenth century in origin and were heightened in the fifteenth century[2][4]

Similarly the piscina (one of two - the other is in Goodrington church) came form Kirkham House, Paignton. The two are almost identical in design. Both are cylindrical within with a diameter of 18 inches. The "floor" is concave, decorated with a quatrefoil in raised stonework. In the centre of the floor is a knob of foliage, below which is the drain. The heads of the two piscinas are finished differently. That in Paignton church has a plain domed head, with a curious "mask" in the centre consisitng of the joined upper halves of two faces and with an open mouth common to both. Through this mouth the lead pipe was introduced. That in Goodrington church has a vaulted head, with vaulkting ribs springing from bosses of foliage. The ribs rise to a central boss, which also has a central hole for the accomodation of the supply pipe. The positions they held in Kirkham House (qv) are indicated by patches of new masonry. An example of a well preserved domestic piscina is to be seen in the premises of 4-6 Cross Street, Barnstaple.[6]

Reichel speculates that the Bishop of Exeter had an oratory at Paignton before the Conquest.[7]. Chanter cites a description of an 1811 visit to the church [8].

Further references between 1865-1951 are Appleton [9]; Loftus Brock [10]; Gibbs [11]; 'F.W.' [12]; Thompson [13]; Rushforth [14]; Cornelius [15]. The list description is at [16].

Couldrey, W. G., 1932, Memories and Antiquities of Paignton, 227, 235-7 (Article in Serial). SDV343465.

The parish church is dedicated to St John the Baptist. Evidence was found during recent restorations that it was built on the site of an earlier church. It is built of local red stone and is 147 feet long and 81 feet wide at the transepts and 49 feet wide across the nave and aisles, including the walls. The tower is 90 feet high. Its flat, lead roof bears the inscription, 'Thomas Furneaux, Gilbert Distin, 1685'. They were probably churchwardens at that time. There are eight bells.
The west doorway to the tower is suggested to be the oldest part of the building, the chevron mouldings in Norman style.
The interior of the church was formerly quite different, with box pews and galleries over the north aisle and in front of the tower, where the organ was. The 15th century pulpit was against a pillar on the south side of the nave. It was raised much higher than it is now, a 'double decker' and had domed canopy over it with a golden angel at the apex, which seems to have gone when the church was restored. The pulpit is richly carved with scriptural scenes, now mutilated, in the panels, surrounded by vine leaves and grapes
The font which was of purbeck marble was at the west end of the south aisle; it is now in St Andrew's Church. The present font is Norman. It was returned to the church after being used as a garden ornament for many years.
Separating the south transept from the aisle is a magnificent 15th century carved stone screen. It has been badly damaged but is still a mass of beautiful carving. It is thought to be a monument to a member of the Kirkham family although there is no inscription. The south transept was formerly known as Parker's Aisle but is now called the Kirkham chantry; the Kirkham family lived at Blagdon Barton.
The carved wooden screen across the nave was erected in 1906. The Rood was added in 1923 as part of the church war memorial. The reredos was dedicated in 1927. It is in memory of Samuel Chapin, one of the Pilgrim Fathers, who was baptised in the church in 1638. It was funded by his descendents.

Waterfield, R., 1932, Proceedings at the Seventy-First Annual Meeting, held at Paignton, 20th to 24th June, 1932, 37-8, 59 (Article in Serial). SDV362423.

The foundations of a Saxon church on the site were found during restoration work; this church reached nearly to the second pillar of the present nave. Of the twelfth-century Norman church the foundations of the west wall six feet east of the present tower survives; as do the two easternmost pillars of the nave, the north end and south walls of the present sanctuary and the west doorway, inserted in the new tower in 1327. The original eleventh century font was replaced about 1450 by that font now in St Andrew, Goodrington. The original Norman one was found in one of the graves and was taken into secular use before going to Goodrington. It was restored to the Church in 1930 and is one of the oldest of twelve Devon fonts of the same pattern.

<01> Watkin, H.R., 1930-34, Seven Hundred Years Ago. AD 1232, p. 211 (Article in Serial). SDV362449.

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<02> Cherry, B. & Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, p. 838 (Monograph). SDV361985.

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<04> Masson Phillips, E.N. & Worth, R.H., 1979, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.169 (Article in Serial). SDV362050.

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<06> Everett, A.W., 1958, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.127-8 (Article in Serial). SDV362534.

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<07> Reichel, O.J., 1898, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p. 308 (Article in Serial). SDV362444.

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<08> Chanter, J.R., 1890, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.61-65 (Article in Serial). SDV362443.

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<09> Appleton, E., 1865, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p. 62-67 (Article in Serial). SDV362441.

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<10> Loftus Brock, E.P., 1883, Journal of the British Architectural Association, p.27-34 (Article in Serial). SDV362437.

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<11> Gibbs, R., 1904-5, Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries, p.119 (Article in Serial). SDV362450.

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<12> F.W., 1905, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, p.119 (Article in Serial). SDV362452.

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<13> Thompson, A.H., 1913, Archaeological Journal, pp. 457-9, 466-7, 473, 482-4, 489-91 (Article in Serial). SDV362428.

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<14> Rushforth, G.Mc.N., 1932-33, Devon and Cornwall Notes & Queries, p.249 (Article in Serial). SDV362447.

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<15> Cornelius, C.F., 1951, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p.217-234 (Article in Serial). SDV362438.

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<16> Department of National Heritage, 1993, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.30-2; 1947-1/5/12 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV362109.

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Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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