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Summary

Said to have been founded in 1170, the tower is the oldest portion.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1107750: CHURCH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5228
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS44NE/41
• Old Listed Building Ref (I)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Built, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Skinner, E., 1902-1903, Tracy and Brewer, 157-158 (Article in Serial). SDV363806.

Skinner [wrongly] ascribes the tomb of to be that of the murderer of Thomas a Becket.

Reichel, O. J., 1902-1903, Tracy and Brewer, 187-188 (Article in Serial). SDV363805.

The church contains the tomb of Sir William de Tracey, a priest who held the Rectory of Morthoe and died there in 1322. The tombe is often wrongly said to be that of Sir William de Traci, the assassin of Thomas a Becket. That William died in 1174.

Watkin, H. R., 1930 - 1934, Seven Hundred Years Ago. AD 1232, 212 (Article in Serial). SDV81790.

Tomb mentioned by the author in connection with slabs carved for the families of those on the sixth crusade.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 126-127 (Monograph). SDV336196.

Said to have been founded in 1170. The tower is the oldest portion. Thirteenth century enlargements include the chancel and possibly the nave walls and south transept. Later additions include the north aisle and an arcade. There are 48 bench ends and a mosaic on the chancel arch.

Blackwell, A. E., 1959-1961, Morthoe Notes, 319-322 (Article in Serial). SDV91970.

Reference to the restoration in 1857 with a discussion of the windows. Also mentioned is a sundial together with historical information and a description of the opening of the Tracey tomb.

Department of Environment, 1985, Morthoe, 108-109 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV338155.

Parish church, 12th century fabric to nave, probably largely rebuilt and extended in 13th century when chancel and north tower were added. Early 14th century south transept. Alterations and additions of the 16th century. Restored in 1860 by R. D. Gould. Morte slates with ashlar dressings. Many features. See listing description for details.

Brock, B. + Brock, A., 1998, HMS Weazle 1782-1799, 106 (Monograph). SDV73906.

There are six entries in the Morthoe Register to the burial of a shipwrecked sailor. These all occur between February and April 1799 and possibly are crew from HMS Weazle which was wrecked off Baggy Point in February 1799.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 1611 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Parish Church. St. Mary Magdalene. Said to have been founded in 1170. C12 fabric to nave, probably largely rebuilt & extended C13 when chancel & north tower added. Southern transept early C14. Alterations & additions C16. Restored 1860.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, 1107750 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

Parish Church, C12 fabric to nave, probably largely rebuilt and extended in C13 when chancel and north tower were added. Early C14 south transept. In C16 nave heightened and reroofed and north aisle added, possibly replacing north transept in earlier cruciform plan. South porch and vestry probably also added C16. Restored and almost entirely refenestrated 1860 by R D Gould. Morte slates with ashlar dressings. Slate roofs with coped gable ends to nave and chancel with apex crosses. Rubble and ashlar gabletted stack to vestry. Tower of 2 stages with embattled parapet. Bell openings with louvres on four faces, 2 light to north and east, that on east face also with pointed-arched hoodmould, single light to west and south. Pointed north door with rough voussoirs and ventilation slit above. Buttress with offsets to west wall. Two 2-light windows to north aisle and single trefoil-headed 2-light window at its east end. 3-light pointed arched east window with human head corbels. 2 cavetto moulded lancet windows to north wall of chancel. Shoulder-headed priests door on south side flanked by 2-light trefoil- headed windows. South transept has single light trefoil-headed window on east and 2-light window on south side with label stops and short engaged columns and capitals to the inner face with floriated corbels. 4-light window with renewed tracery with 2-lights on each side splaying outwards from the angle of the south transept and nave. 2 single light windows to each side of nave and 3-light west window. South porch doorway with plain-moulded segmental arch and latticed framing and ledging to C19 inner plank door in unmoulded round-arched doorway. Barrel roof with moulded wooden spine, supported on carved and canellated wooden wall plates. Interior: Pointed arched doorway with rounded inner arch to tower, which has 2 blocked square-headed splayed windows on east side. Unceiled waggon roof to nave with moulded spine. Clerestory window above north aisle arcade of 3 lights with ferramentla. Ceiled wagon roofs to north aisle and south transept with carved bosses at the intersections of the ribs. 2-bay arcade to north transept of plain chamfered four-centred arches with single octagonal pier. Arcade to south transept of 1½ bays with four-centred arches supported on octagonal pier with moulded capital. Larger bay has blind trefoiled panelling to the intrados and wooden moulded lintel above. The smaller bay is created by the diagonal vaulted connection between transept and nave wall, perhaps to form a hagioscope to the south transept. Plain moulded pointed chancel arch with striking mosaic by Selwyn Image 1903 of ascending angels flanking representation of Lamb and Cross in central medallion. C19 piscina on north wall of chancel and stone carved reredos with pointed arched niches on each side with cusped headed inner arches supported on colonettes. C19 wooden altar table with altar frontals embroidered to Image's designs wineglass stone pulpit with double cusped-headed panels to each facet with ball flower ornamentation between and fleurons above and below. Nave has fine set of 17 pairs of C18 richly carved benchends and benches with moulded rails. Stained glass mostly by Beer of Exeter. Octagonal bowl to font on shaft with lipped capital and square base. Monuments: Tomb-chest in south transept probably to William de Tracey, early C14. Incised figure of priest with chalice on lid. 7 bays of blend arches with Decorated style tracery to south side, with floriated spandrels. Carved panel of crucifixion at west end. North side has from left to right 6 smaller cusped headed arches with 3 shields above. Then 2 arches similar to south side then 2 arches containing figures in low relief in the niches. Wall monument with original painted decoration on north wall at upper end of nave to Mary and Thos Newel, early C18. Oval medallion with large scallop above and putti each side in the swags and cherubs bust below on small consoles. Wall monument on west wall of south transept by Harry Hems of Exeter to Mary Heddon, died 1889. Outer and inner colonnettes flank cartouche of 3 female figures. C19 marble wall monument on south wall of transept by R Scamp of Ilfracombe.
Date first listed: 25th February 1965.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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