See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Parish church, probably incorporates some 13th century fabric with 14th and early 16th century additions, and was extensively restored in the late 19th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1105609: CHURCH OF ST GERMAN

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5377
• National Monuments Record: 901065
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX49SW/4
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 94330

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (XIII to XVI - 1201 AD to 1600 AD (Between))

Full description

Chanter, J. F., 1910, Christianity in Devon before AD 909, 491 (Article in Serial). SDV870.

Chanter notes the early dedication of the site of the church to the Celtic saint, St. Germanus.

Cresswell, B. F., 1918-1919, Sepulchral Slabs with Crosses in Devon Churches, 7 (Article in Serial). SDV7613.

There is a coffin-shaped stone in the nave. It has a raised cross nearly worn away.

Fryer Cornelius, C., 1952, Ancient Churches of the Tavistock Deanery, Devon, 47-72 (Article in Serial). SDV18005.

Parish church. Single aisled cruciform church, drastically restored last century.16th century additions, western tower is possibly 14th century. Squint combined with rood stairs on south side. Stoup in porch.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 90 (Monograph). SDV336196.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 400 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Youings, J., 1955, Devon Monastic Lands, 1-2 (Monograph). SDV2117.

The rectory was held by Frithelstock Priory and a stripend for a priest was paid by the priory out of the tithes.

Fielding, L., 1977, Untitled Source (Monograph). SDV344127.

Pearce, S. M., 1985, The Early Church in the Landscape: The Evidence from North Devon (part), 263 (Article in Serial). SDV336495.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/GK, 10a, 11 (Aerial Photograph). SDV12893.

Griffith, F. M., 1987, DAP/JH, 2-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV344129.

Department of Environment, 1987, Germansweek, 59 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV344126.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 455 (Monograph). SDV325629.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 901065 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV344128.

English Heritage, 2010, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV154869.

Parish Church. Probably incorporates some 13th century fabric with 14th and circa early 16th century additions, restored in 1870 and 1875. Granite and local volcanic stone rubble wall, roughly coursed on the tower. Gable ended slate roofs with decorative fish-scale pattern over porch and chancel. Nineteenth century coping-stones to gable ends.
Plan of nave, chancel, south transept, west tower, north aisle and chapel, and south porch. The low unbuttressed tower is probably the earliest part of the church, the nave, chancel and south transept are likely to date from the 14th century. In the circa early 16th century the north aisle was added. The Church was extensively restored in 1870 and 1875 when it was re-roofed and new fittings put in. Low two stage unbuttressed tower with weathered crenellation and no pinnacles. Very primitive granite west doorway is almost round-headed and chamfered without stops. West window is 19th century restoration of two trefoiled lights with square hoodmould above. Probably original belfry lights have worn trefoiled heads. Square stair turret projecting on north side of tower. Attached to south wall of tower, low down, is a slate memorial to Richard Redcliffe and his wife Joan who died 1789 and 1793. Chamfered plinth. The north aisle has no plinth. On its west wall is an early 16th century granite two-light mullion window with four-centred heads, in a reserved chamfer, with square hoodmould. On its north wall the aisle has three similar windows of three lights without hoodmoulds. At the east end of the aisle is a contemporary three-light window with very simple late Perpendicular tracery; its hoodmould has carved headstops. The east window is a 19th century restoration with Perpendicular tracery. On the south side of the chancel is a 19th century single cinquefoiled light and there is a similar two-light window on the east side of the transept. In the angle between the transept and chancel is a slight projection for the rood stairs. The south window of the transept is 19th century with Perpendicular tracery. The single storey porch is immediately to the west of the transept and may be completely 19th century with a plain stone arched doorway. To its left the south aisle has a restored two-light window with cinquefoiled heads.
Interior: The porch has carved wall plates which are probably 19th century. The south doorway has been rebuilt as a plain stone rubble arch. four-bay granite arcade to north aisle with shallow four-centred arches which are double chamfered, a free-stone arch crosses the last bay at the east end marking the side chapel. Pevsner A-type piers with moulded cup capitals and simply moulded bases. The chancel arch has been rebuilt and is plastered and rests on corbels. Plain tall tower arch is slightly four-centred. The walls are plastered except for the chancel which has 20th century render. Nineteenth century arch- braced collar beam roofs to nave, aisle and transept. Contemporary roof to chancel is richly carved with running leaf motif. Font has 15th century octagonal granite bowl with renewed shaft and base. Rood stairs entrance is in the transept and incorporates a squint to the altar but the stairs are blocked higher up. Small piscina with chamfered stone arch in north chapel. There is also a piscina in the transept. On the north wall of the aisle is a simple wall memorial of 1800 to Anna Maria Seccombe. The Church has a slate slab floor apart from the chancel which has 19th century tiles.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.