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| HER Number: | MDV2199 |
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| Name: | Christ Church, Portland Street, Ilfracombe |
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Summary
Site of a church which was built in 1844 and subseqently enlarged. It was demolished in advance of road construction circa 1970. Its font was an ancient stone basin, possibly a medieval piscina.
Location
| Grid Reference: | SS 520 476 |
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| Map Sheet: | SS54NW |
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| Admin Area | Devon |
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| Civil Parish | Ilfracombe |
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| District | North Devon |
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| Ecclesiastical Parish | ILFRACOMBE |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses
- Old DCC SMR Ref: SS54NW/10
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- CHURCH (Built, XIX - 1844 AD to 1844 AD)
Full description
Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map, No. 311 (Cartographic). SDV338879.
Church shown. Marked as 'Christ Church Free Church of England (Seats for 300)'.
Miss Price, 1880, The Font in Christ Church, Ilfracombe, 662-664 (Article in Serial). SDV337910.
An old stone basin used as a font, placed there by Mr. Thorne who built the church in 1844. It is made from a hard, heavy stone and is semi-globular in form, 13 inches diameter and 7 inches deep. There are two side handles and some ornamentation. There is a hole in the centre, now infilled.
It is not known where the basin came from. Mr Gould, the architect who enlarged the church, thought it was an ancient piscina, at least 600 years old. It has been suggested that it came from St Nicholas Chapel on Lantern Hill. However, Mr Thorne was apparently known to attend sales to pick up ‘odds and ends’ and he is said to ‘have expressed great satisfaction at its having come into such good use’. It has also been suggested that it was a quernstone.
Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 106 (Monograph). SDV336196.
Pevsner describes the church, built in 1844, has having 'a grotesque stuccoed two-tower façade' part of the south front. The interior, he says, 'is well and truly debased. The style is vaguely Italian Medieval'.
Kempson, M., 1986, Christ Church, Ilfracombe (Personal Comment). SDV89316.
Demolished in advance of road construction c.1970.
University of Southampton, 2018, North Devon Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV361978.
Marked on 1890 and 1904 Ordnance Survey 25 inch maps.
Sources / Further Reading
| SDV336196 | Monograph: Pevsner, N.. 1952. The Buildings of England: North Devon. The Buildings of England: North Devon. Paperback Volume. 106. |
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| SDV337910 | Article in Serial: Miss Price. 1880. The Font in Christ Church, Ilfracombe. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. Digital. 662-664. |
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| SDV338879 | Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1855-1895. First Edition 1:500 Town Map. First Edition 1:500 Town Map. Map (Digital). No. 311. [Mapped feature: #116614 ] |
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| SDV361978 | Interpretation: University of Southampton. 2018. North Devon Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. RCZAS. Digital. |
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| SDV89316 | Personal Comment: Kempson, M.. 1986. Christ Church, Ilfracombe. Not Applicable. |
Associated Monuments: none recorded
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events: none recorded
| Date Last Edited: | May 11 2024 4:15PM |
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