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Summary

Parish church. St. John. Restored by sir gilbert scott in 1874 (hoskins). Tower of sandstone and granite, features of nave, chancel and aisles described. Plain perpendicular windows, 5 original wagon roofs. Plate and monuments described (pevsner). Much restored church. Mainly 15th to 16th century. Original wagon-roofs. Sir gilbert scott added an aisle on the north side in 1874. Font octagonal, possibly 12th century, reworked later (fryer cornelius).

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1105532: CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5397
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX48NW/5
• Old Listed Building Ref (I)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Early Medieval to XXI - 1066 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Fryer Cornelius, C., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV214975.

Parish church. St. John. Restored by sir gilbert scott in 1874 (hoskins). Tower of sandstone and granite, features of nave, chancel and aisles described. Plain perpendicular windows, 5 original wagon roofs. Plate and monuments described (pevsner). Much restored church. Mainly 15th to 16th century. Original wagon-roofs. Sir gilbert scott added an aisle on the north side in 1874. Font octagonal, possibly 12th century, reworked later (fryer cornelius).

CRESSWELL, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV25789.

An undertaker's wooden helmet and gauntlets with coat of arms recorded (a. L. R. ). The armour was a funeral trophy for the tomb of christopher harris who died in 1718 (cresswell).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263219.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)482.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263220.

Pevsner, n. /buildings of england: north devon/(1952)146-147.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263221.

Fryer cornelius, c. /jbaa/15(1952)47-72/ancient churches of the tavistock deanery, devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263222.

A. L. R. /dcnq/11 pt.1(1920-1921)93/armour, helmets etc in devon and cornwall.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263223.

Cresswell, b. F. /dcnq/10,pt.1(1918-1919)85/armour, etc. , in devon and cornwall churches.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263224.

Doe/hhr:stowford/(7/11/1985)162-163.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263225.

Nmr=sx48nw14 f.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263226.

Tda/53(1921)230;photo.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV263227.

Cherry, b. + pevsner, n. /the buidings of england:devon/(1989)769.

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV326989.

Parish church. Some evidence of 14th century work at the east end. Nave, 15th century, including south aisle and west tower. Restoration work in 1874 and north aisle by sir gilbert scott with evidence of considerable 19th century rebuilding. Late 19th century south vestry. Stone rubble and slate roof. Mostly perpendicular. The 1874 woodwork is some of the finest in the county of devon. See doe list for full details (doe).

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, 1105532 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

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. The 3 easternmost roof bays of the south chancel chapel are probably C16 and the chapel may have been extended eastwards at this date. The north aisle by scott is in the Perpendicular style and he also appears to have rebuilt part of the south arcade. The 1874 fitting, particularly the woodwork are outstanding. The south arcade is 5-bay, 2 bays to the chancel, the north arcade is 4-bay, 1 bay to the chancel. The chancel has a C19 plinth which continues to the west end of the south chancel chapel and a coped east gable with a cross at the apex. C15 granite Perpendicular east window has Y tracery in a moulded architrave with a hoodmould. The south wall has a marked change in plane, the 2 easternmost bays bending southwards. The south east diagonal buttress with set-offs is probably C19, 3 other buttresses with set-offs on the south side are of different sizes and probably of different dates and the survival of the original plinth in only 1 bay suggests that the south wall was largely rebuilt in the C19. The rafters on the south side project beyond the walls and are exposed below the eaves. C16 Perpendicular 3-light uncusped granite east window to the south aisle with hoodmould. The 2 easternmost windows on the south side are uncusped 3-light granite C16 windows with moulded architraves, hoodmoulds and carved label stops, one has a relieving arch above. Between them is a chamfered, stopped granite priest's door with an almost flat arch, probably also C16. The 2 westernmost aisle windows are 3-light freestone C19 Perpendicular windows with hoodmoulds and carved label stops and probably date from 1874. The west window of the aisle is a 3-light granite C15 window with a hoodmould and carved label stops, some replacement of tracery and mullions. The north aisle of 1874 has coped gables at ends and exposed rafters below the eaves. There is one buttress with set-offs and no window to the easternmost bay or to the west end to allow for some grand C18 monuments which were re-sited in the aisle by Scott. The east window is a 3-light C19 granite Perpendicular window with a moulded architrave, hoodmould and carved label stops. The easternmost and westernmost windows of the aisle are 3-light freestone C19 windows with moulded architraves, hoodmoulds and carved label stops. Between them Scott appears to have incorporated an early C19 2-light freestone cusped window with a moulded architrave, probably to preserve the commemorative glass. The masonry of the west tower is striking, with alternating bands of stone rubble and granite. The unbuttressed tower is 3-stage with tall battlementing and rectangular corner pinnacles with tall crocketted finials crowned with crosses. The north east stair turret projects at the first stage only. There is a moulded string above the plinth and chamfered strings mark the stages. The west face has a moulded arched granite doorway with carved spandrels in a square-headed architrave; the returns to the hoodmould are unusually long. A 3-light granite Perpendicular west window above has a hoodmould, some replacement of mullions. There are 2-light chamfered belfry openings on all 4 faces. Interior Nave walls unplastered. There is an odd arrangement to both the chancel and south chancel chapel arches. The double chamfered arches and the capitals from which they spring are probably C14 but at the junction with the south arcade the capitals rest on what appears to be a remnant of a C14 pier which oversails the slender C15 pier below and acts as a corbel carrying the arches. Scott has repeated this arrangement on the north side of the chancel arch. The arcades are also odd, the piers are conventional Perpendicular monoliths of 4 hollows and 4 shafts but the 2 westernmost arches on both arcades have shallow mouldings while the easternmost arches are double-chamfered and there are variations to the capitals. The double-chamfered tower arch is carried on moulded capitals on short shafts, the floor level of the tower is lower than the nave. The roofs are fine unceiled C15 and C19 wagons with carved ribs, bosses and wall plates. The nave roof has some C19 repair including a replaced wall plate with C19 demi-angels and some C19 painting. The south aisle roof is largely unrestored except for a part of the wall plate and similar C19 demi-angels. The south chancel chapel roof is almost wholly original, the 3 easternmost roof bays appear to be later work, probably C16, with shallower carving to the bosses. The chancel roof is wholly 1874 with angels standing on the corbels at wall plate level and enriched painting above the altar. The north aisle roof is a C19 version of the medieval south aisle roof. The church retains a complete set of C19 tiling, including some stamped tiling, with local marble chancel steps. Fine 1874 Purbeck reredos extending across the width of the chancel as a panelled frieze divided by moulded shafts with a moulded cornice and cresting at the top. The side panels have cusped crocketted blind ogival arches with diaper decoration beneath. The central 5 panels consist of a carved cross in the middle flanked by the symbols of the evangelists within quatrefoils. On the south side of the chancel is a C19 moulded arched granite aumbrey above a piscina adjoining an arched sedilia with shields carved in the spandrels. A second C19 aumbry with carved spandrels is on the north wall. The font may be a C15 recutting of a C12 font of the Lifton type (qv). The square bowl has projecting mouldings which may once have been profile heads above chamfered corners. The sides of the bowl are decorated with blind trefoil-headed arcading and the bowl rests on a 2-tier shaft. Fixed to the west end of the north aisle is a large Baroque monument to Christopher Harris of Hayne, buried 1718, Mary Harris his wife, died 1726 and their 2 infant children, all in white and grey marble. Freestanding 3/4 size figures of the husband and wife stand on a large chest with a moulded plinth and cornice. Fixed to the wall behind them is a sarcophagus and obelisk below festoons, the right-hand festoon missing, and a cartouche with armorial bearings, all framed by pilasters supporting an open pediment crowned by a torch with flanking putti. The figures are dressed in Roman attire but the husband has an C18 wig. The 2 infant childen are represented lying between their parents. A contemporary wrought iron grate surrounds the monument which is set within a blind arch of 1874 which acts as a frame. On the north wall of the north aisle is a wall monument to John Harris of Hayne, died 1770 and Margaret, his wife. A triangular shaped monument with a wide inscription panel below a narrower panel containing 2 portrait medallions. Above the portraits an obelisk rises with armorial bearings above a sarcophagus. The reddish marble obelisk may be a C19 replacement. On the south wall of the south chancel chapel a late C17 monument to William Harris of Kenegie, died 1661, and other members of the Harris family with Corinthian columns and pilasters supporting a round-headed arch with a central inscription panel below a skull and swags of drapery. An additional inscription panel of 1709 has been added at the bottom. The Harris tabard, helmet and gauntlet also hang in the chapel. The 1874 woodwork is some of the finest in the county of Devon with a full set of rectangular bench ends with foliage and figure designs modelled on early C16 precedents, fine choir stalls with blind traceried panels divided by blind traceried stiles, an ogee headed font cover with crockets and pinnacles and an 8-sided drum pulpit on a stone wine glass stem. The pulpit has crocketted ogee arches in the panels with shields carved below and applied pinnacles between the panels. The stem is decorated with blind tracery. The altar has blind traceried panels above a frieze of quatrefoils and the altar rail has panels of open tracery below a moulded rail. A 3-bay screen fills the tower arch, possibly inspired by the medieval screen at Marystow (qv). The organ case is also of 1874 with painted pipes on the west and east side and 2-tiers of linen fold panelling below a frame with open tracery on the west side and plate tracery on the south side. Contemporary timber lectern. Lavers and Barraud east window, east window of the north aisle and easternmost window of the north side. A fine tower, good roofs and a remarkable set of C19 woodwork makes this an outstanding building. Devon C19 churches Project.
Date first listed: 21st March 1967.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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