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Summary

The church is built of local stone rubble with slate roofs and Bath, Beer and volcanic stone dressings. Parts of the chancel, nave and aisle are 14th century, the tower is probably 13th century. The 15th century remodelling included the Beerstone arcade. The wagon roofs to the nave and aisle are also 15th century. By 1870 the church had become very dilapidated and was consequently subject to a series of restorations between 1872 and 1989.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1306717: CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5031
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS92SE/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 96709

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Built, XIII to XIX - 1201 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, Bampton Motte (Ground Photograph). SDV359129.

Photograph of Bampton Castle motte, overlooking the town and church.

Unknown, Unknown (Migrated Record). SDV1416.

Illustrated by swete, 1800 (dro).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV1004.

Grinsell suggests that the church was of celtic foundation, originally dedicated to st. Petrock (grinsell).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV412.

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

Whittemore, P. J., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV5013.

The missing brasses once placed over the tombs of sir john and faulk bouchier are discussed (whittemore).

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV325886.

Parish church. Tower probably c13, parts of chapel, nave and aisle c14, c15 remodelling including arcade; series of restorations 1872-98 adopted in favour of plans to replace the church which was very dilapidated in 1870. Local stone rubble with slate roofs and bath, beer and volcanic stone dressings; beerstone arcade. West tower, nave, chancel, five bay north aisle, ne vestry, south porch. Plain early english tower; some decorated tracery in nave aisle and chancel, otherwise perpendicular. See doe list for full details (doe).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV335.

St. Michaels and all angels. Built in 13th century, rebuilt and enlarged 200 years later when the north aisle was added. Tall plain tower. Carved rood screen with a vine frieze. Nave has a wagon roof. Behind the altar are boards bearing the commandments and the creed. Inside the chancel is a huge piece of carved stone said to have been part of the grandiose tomb of john bourchier, lord fitzwarren, who became the earl of bath in 1536. The tomb stood in the aisle of the church until 1770, where he endowed a chantry. William bourchier a grandson of edward 111 was buried in the church. The family badges are carved in the roof and screen. In the chancel is the tombstone of a former vicar. The church is now much restored (hoskins).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34924.

Aspects of stained glass in church discussed (drake).

ANON., PSANHS, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34926.

The roof was restored in the late xix century, yet most of the original wood was replaced. Stained glass windows of john bouchier 1540. Discussion of tombs given (anon,psanhs).

ANON,PSANHS 1923, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34927.

Xii century south wall with xiv century chancel. Description given of church at time of visit (anon,psanhs 1923).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34931.

Des=delderfield, e. /express and echo/5.2.1977.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34932.

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

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34933.

Grinsell, l. V. /archaeology of exmoor/(1970)210.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34934.

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

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34935.

Drake, t. M. /dcnq/4(1906-1907)59/votive figures in stained glass.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34936.

Whittemore, p. J. /dcnq/34(1978-1981)57-61/the lost monumental brasses of devonshire.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34937.

Anon/psanhs/46 part i(1900)36-37/st. Michael's church bampton.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34938.

Anon/psanhs/69 part i(1923)37/bampton church.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34939.

Anon/psanhs/93(1947)8-9/proceedings.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34940.

Dro=564m/20/139(illustrations by swete).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34941.

Doe/hhr:bampton/(7/12/1987)44.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV34943.

Aph=dap/gb 8,9/(26/3/1986).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34944.

Nmr=ss92se14.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34945.

Cherry, b. + pevsner, n. /buildings of england: devon/(1989)146.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV34946.

Aph=dap/oy 5-7/(25/7/1989).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV34947.

Aph=dap/uj 9-15(15/5/1991).

Blaylock, S., 07/04/2014, Bampton Architectural Fragment (Correspondence). SDV358553.

The cable ornament looks Romanesque, so it could be a fragment of a 12th cenury cross shaft or base, or a component of some other fitting. The mortice on the presumably top surface would support this. It is unlikely to be a font stem, since the carving only appears to be on three or four of the eight sides, and it could be unfinished. The piece is not mentioned in Pevsner or the listing description.

Mcmanamon, T., 08/01/1993, Bampton (Correspondence). SDV49255.

May previously have been dedicated to St. Mary.

Carter, R., 08/07/2004, Bampton Parish Church (Correspondence). SDV321325.

White Beerstone font in front of tower entrance. Formerly one made of pumice by the south door, possibly only a stoup. Tower said to be 14th century, but is very massive, also has only window lined with pumice. Presumably the stone came from Rougemont, or could have been reworked Roman stone. Photo of font (or stoup) attached.

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

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

Church of St. Michael and All Angels. Parish church. Tower probably C13, parts of chancel, nave and aisle C14, C15 remodelling including arcade ; series of restorations 1872-98 adopted in favour of plans to replace the church which was very dilapidated in 1870. Local stone rubble with slate roofs and Bath, Beer and volcanic stone dressings ; Beerstone arcade. West tower, nave, chancel, 5-bay north aisle, north-east vestry, south porch. Plain Early English tower ; some Decorated tracery in nave aisle and chancel, otherwise Perpendicular. Impressive plain battlemented west tower with a north-east projecting stair turret, angle buttresses, a double-chamfered west doorway and 3-light C14 west window with intersecting tracery. The chancel and nave fenestration is mostly renewed ; 2- centred south priest's doorway ; 3-sided rood stair turret with scratch dial ; large porch with plain 2-centred outer doorway, chamfered 2-centred inner doorway and C15 arch braced roof. Interior: Unplastered walls ; C15 moulded chancel arch with panelled soffit ; plain 2-centred tower arch ; 5-bay C15 arcade with carved capitals ; C15 wagon roofs to nave and aisle with moulded ribs and carved bosses, plaster infill removed ; chancel wagon roof boarded with an extra rib over the sanctuary, 2-light window above chancel arch lights rood screen. Fittings: The chancel has an C18 pedimented timber reredos in the Roman style which originally incorporated an oil painting ; ogee-headed cusped C14 piscina ; C19 altar rails and pretty tiling ; The remains of an exceptional probably late C15 cataclews tomb chest are fixed to the north wall. 7-bay Perpendicular chancel screen, Pevsner type A, restored Herbert Read in 1938. The nave has plain late C19 benches ; a Jacobean timber drum pulpit, panelled and carved and an 1818 timber eagle lectern. C15 octagonal font on stem, probably partly recut. Late C19 tower screen with C20 glazing above. The tower has several late C17 memorials used as floor slabs. Memorials and Stained Glass Wall tablet in the chancel to John Tristram, died 1732, with a cartouche surround. C19 wall plaques in nave include one signed W. Emes, Exeter to Elizabeth Penton, died 1829. Window in nave filled with fragments of late C15 stained glass, restored by Maurice Drake in 1921. 2-light window above chancel arch by Drake & Sons of Exeter, 1919. A memorial plaque fixed to the external wall of the tower in memory of the clerk's son has the unusual inscription : Bless my eyes..../Here he lies/In a sad Pickle/Killed by Icicle/In the year 1776.

Mcmanamon, T., 26/02/2014, Masonry in Church at Bampton (Ground Photograph). SDV358552.

Photographs of piece of masonry found in the crypt of Bampton Church during 19th century renovations, possibly the base of a font or a crucifix.

Fletcher, M., Aug 2011, Archaeological Monitoring of Three Trial Trenches Dug to Investigate Evidence of Subsidence (Report - Watching Brief). SDV349828.

The church is built of local stone rubble with slate roofs and Bath, Beer and volcanic stone dressings. Parts of the chancel, nave and aisle are 14th century, the tower is probably 13th century. The 15th century remodelling included the Beerstone arcade. The wagon roofs to the nave and aisle are also 15th century. By 1870 the church had become very dilapidated and was consequently subject to a series of restorations between 1872 and 1989.
Movement of the building was evident in vertical cracks in the south-west corner of the south porch, a buttress at the south-east corner of the nave and the south-east corner of the chancel. Trenches dug at each location in August 2011 revealed that the wall foundations in these three areas are very shallow. They lay on moist clay soil that had been softened by water leaking from surface water drains installed about 20 years ago. To remedy the problems, the wall on the south-west corner of the porch was underpinned with concrete and those at the south-east corner of the name and chancel respectively were underpinned with engineering brick. This work was completed in September 2011.
Interestingly 0.7 metres below the corner of the chancel, below the clay layer, was a large flat stone slab of indeterminate thickness to which a sub-wall under the exposed part of the south wall was linked. This sub-wall is also separated by the clay layer from the foundations above. It is considered that these deep foundations are associated with the present building, although why they should be separated from the chancel wall is unclear unless the latter has been rebuilt.
Human skeletal material was limited to previously broken fragments of bone and part of a skull found beside the buttress.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5909 - Archaeological Monitoring of Three Trial Trenches Dug to Investigate Evidence of Subsidence at St Michael and All Angels, Bampton

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