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Summary

St John the Baptist Parish Church at Charles with 15th century fabric and rebuilt in the 19th century

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1107553: CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5298
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS63SE/10
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1905, 14NE (Cartographic). SDV335656.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 68 (Monograph). SDV336196.

Unbuttressed tower and outer walls old, the rest 1891.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 362 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Church rebuilt 1875.

Department of Environment, 1964, South Molton Rural District, 10 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV320155.

Old work mainly late medieval. Date of '1620' on tower probably represents repair work. Nave has plain old wagon roof.

Grinsell, L. V., 1970, The Archaeology of Exmoor, 210 (Monograph). SDV1641.

Parish Church of St John the Baptist. The original dedication was to St Petrock.

Department of Environment, 1987, Brayford, 2 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV320190.

Church of St John the Baptist. Probably 15th century fabric to chancel nave and tower, the later largely rebuilt in 1620, the whole heavily restored 1885. Stone rubble with ashlar dressings. Slate roofs. West tower, nave and chancel and south porch. West tower of 2 stages, unbuttressed, with embattled parapet. Rectangular stair turret. See DoE list for full details.

Exeter Archaeology, 1998, Bray Valley Quarries, Brayford: Consolidating Planning Application: Archaeological Assessment, 5 (Report - Assessment). SDV65480.

Humphreys, C., 2002, Charlestown Barton, Charles, Devon. Archaeological and Historic Building Assessment, 2.22 (Report - Assessment). SDV64050.

The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist but may have originally been dedicated to St. Petrock. There is a documentary reference to the 'ecclesia de Charnes' in 1279. Little early fabric remains, however,. The chancel, nave and tower are considered to belong to the 15th century. The tower was largely rebuilt circa 1620 and the whole church was restored in 1885. A scratch sundial on a block of stone reused as a lintel must be part of an earlier structure.

Department of Environment, 2003, Brayford (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV340005.

Parish church of St John the Baptist in Charles. West tower, nave and chancel and south porch. West tower of 2 stages, unbuttressed, with embattled parapet. Single light bell-openings to each face. Rectangular stair turret on north side.19th century fenestration to nave and chancel. South side nave has one 2-light and a 3-light pointed arched windows, chancel a single light window. 3-light stepped lancet window at east end of chancel. Two 2-light windows to north side of nave. South porch has 15th century virtually semi-circular headed doorway with hollow-chamfered and roll moulded surround. Interior: plain ceiled waggon roofs to nave with moulded ribs and to chancel with variously carved bosses at the intersections. 20th century nave seating and furniture.Font, 1727, with fluted bowl on baluster shaft. 17th century wall monument on chancel north wall to members of Gregorie family including George Gregorie, rector and patron of the parish who died in 1719. Broken pediment with reclining cherubs and achievement. Skulls flanking oval medallion in base. Other details: LBS No 98883.

Dodd, M., 2004, Dean Milles Parochial Survey. Questionnaire (1747-1762) (Un-published). SDV162499.

Respondent to Dean Milles Questionnaire notes that the tower was built in 1620.

Dunkerley, T. + Knights, J., 2006, A Probable Iron Age Hill-fort or Hillside Enclosure at Welcombe Farm, Charles, 10 (Report - Interim). SDV339942.

Church likely to be of 11th-12th century origin although the earliest extant fabric dates to the 15th century.

Humphreys, C., January 2004, Charlestown Barton, Charles, Devon. Results of a Survey of the Cottages and Outbuildings, a Geophysical Survey and Evaluation Trenches, 2.4 (Report - Assessment). SDV319898.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV541 - Charlestown Barton: Archaeological assessment
• EDV542 - Bray Valley Quarries: Consolidating planning application: Archaeological assessment

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