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Summary

Norman core with some 13th century fabric, the remainder 15th century. Stone rubble walls, coursed granite to tower with some dressed stone. Although it does not retain much of its early fittings this church preserves a largely medieval fabric with traces of an earlier building; it is notable for the survival of a number of early windows dating from the 13th century to the 16th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1105442: CHURCH OF ST PETER

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5387
• National Monuments Record: SX56NW41
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 901291
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NW/16
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 92708

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PARISH CHURCH (Built, Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD (Between) to 1884 AD (Between))

Full description

Stephens, F. M., 1897, Information about Meavy Church, 27/7/1897 (Personal Comment). SDV252328.

"July 27, 1897. Meavy Church has a fine square tower with small pinnacles. It is doubtful when it was built there being so many different styles of architecture. It was restored in 1874 at a cost of £709 and practically ruined. The whole floor has been tiled, the chancel paved with marble, new seats provided, and the bells recast. The only old tombstones left have been used to pave the tower floor and are nearly all illegible. The chancel door is neat and has the date 1701 over it. The pillars and doorway are of massive granite, but the church and tower are built of granite intermixed with limestone. At the entrance of the churchyard there is a fine lych gate over which the leaves of the oak hang in large and beautiful clusters".
(Source author recorded as Frederick McKenzie Stephens?)

Cresswell, B. F., 1918-1919, Sepulchral Slabs with Crosses in Devon Churches, 8 (Article in Serial). SDV7613.

This slab bearing an incised cross may have been an old floor stone reused in the wall of the south transept when it was built in the early 16th century. Originally it probably covered the grave of an early Rector of Meavy.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 312 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

Parish church, above the window of the south transept and reaching to the gable apex, there is a niche, in which is a slab bearing a cross in relief. In appearance it resembles a 13th century sepulchral slab or "coffin lid".

Copeland, G. W., 1942, Eleventh Report of the Plymouth and District Branch, 123 (Article in Serial). SDV145407.

The church contains some remains of its Norman predecessor, including the stoup in the southern aisle and the northern pier of the chancel arch, decorated with the head of a pastoral staff and other devices. The priest's door is dated 1705.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1943, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon. (Third Paper), 261 (Article in Serial). SDV320746.

The parish church has retained in situ three ancient gable crosses of Roborough Down stone. Situated respectively upon the roofs of the south porch, west end of the south aisle, and the south transept. The last two are plain Latin crosses of octagonal section, but that over the south porch is larger and more elaborate. Octagonal in section with triple ribs encircling the shaft at its base and the limbs at their extremities.

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

Parish Church. Single aisled cruciform church, chancel mainly 13th century, nave probably 12th century. Late medieval additions. Nave arcades moulded. Original wagon-roofs plaster ceiled over chancel, chapel and transept. Fine bosses, nave roof open. Floor level of chancel raised in modern times. Font octagonal. Rood stairs projecting from north wall of nave.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 434 (Monograph). SDV17562.

The greater part of the northern wall is almost certainly Norman, but the rest of the church is mostly early 16th century. Dedicated to St. Peter.

Department of Environment, 1987, Meavy, 89-90 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV252327.

Church of St. Peter. Norman core with some 13th century fabric, the remainder 15th century. Stone rubble walls, coursed granite to tower with some dressed stone. Gable-ended slate roofs to nave, aisle, transept and porch. The plan comprises nave, chancel, south transept, south aisle, south porch, west tower and vestry on north side of chancel. The oldest feature of the church is the square north pier to the chancel arch, apparently Norman date.
The church was totally reconstructed in the 13th century from the evidence of the chancel with the south chapel probably early 14th century; it may have been cruciform although only the south transept now survives and this contains no features earlier than 15th century. The fact that the tower is unbuttressed suggests that it may be pre-15th century but its west window and doorway are perpendicular in style. The south aisle and porch were added in the 15th century. A vestry was built onto the north side of the chancel in the 19th century.
See List for full details.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 565 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

Depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2015, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV357602.

MEAVY MEAVY SX 56 NW 4/104 Church of St. Peter 21.3.1967, GV I
Parish Church. Norman core with some C13 fabric, the remainder C15. Stone rubble walls, coursed granite to tower with some dressed stone. Gable-ended slate roofs to nave, aisle, transept and porch.
The plan comprises nave, chancel, south transept, south aisle, south porch, west tower and vestry on north side of chancel. The oldest feature of the church is the square north pier to the chancel arch, apparently of Norman date. The church was totally reconstructed in the C13 from the evidence of the chancel with the South Chapel probably early C14; it may have been cruciform although only the south transept now survives and this contains no features earlier than C15. The fact that the tower is unbuttressed suggests that it may be pre-C15 but its west window and doorway are Perpendicular in style. The south aisle and porch were added in the C15. A vestry was built onto the north side of the chancel in the C19. 3 stage unbuttressed tower, battlemented with small crocketted pinnacles and moulded plinth. The west doorway is of richly moulded granite with a pointed arch and quatrefoils in the recessed spandrels. It has a heavy square hoodmould. 3-light Perpendicular west window, granite with moulded surround. The stringcourse arises above it as a hoodmould. Belfry openings of 1 and 2 light with arched heads. Square stair turret on north side of tower with slit lights. On the north side the nave has a late C15 3-light window with cinquefoiled heads - the central one taller -towards the West end. To its left is early C16 4-light window with segmental heads to the lights and square hoodmould. Beyond that is a rectangular projection for the rood stairs. To its left (east) the C19 vestry projects at right angles. The north window to the chancel is very late Perpendicular of 3 round-headed lights, partially restored. The East window is an Early English 3-light lancet. The south chapel has a circa early C14 east window of 2-lights with Y-tracery and a similar window on its south wall. To the left of this is a late C15 arched granite window with 2 cinquefoiled lights. Between the 2 windows is the small granite priest's door with round-headed arch, simple roll moulding and decorated spandrels. The 2 windows to the south transept and the aisle to its west are Perpendicular of 3-lights in granite. The single storey C15 south porch has a stone cross at its apex. Heavily moulded 4- centred arched granite outer doorway with moulded plinth to the jambs and arched hoodmould.
Interior: The south porch has a chamfered granite cornice below the moulded wall plate which projects at intervals marking the former position of ribs which would have formed a moulded wagon roof. The bowl of the holy water stoup is carved in the shape of a grotesque face. C15 south doorway has pointed granite arch with hollow and convex moulding and double stops. The south aisle has a 3 bay arcade with a further arch dividing the chancel and south chapel. Pevsner A-type piers with deep cup capitals and bases; the 2 arches to the aisle are 4-centred whereas that to the transept has a shallow segmental head and the arch from chancel to chapel has a depressed 4-centred head. On all, the mouldings run up from the piers. The chancel arch has a tall 4-centred head, it runs down on the left to a square pier of alternating Dunstone and red sandstone, with chamfered edges which each have a carved ram's head at the top - these suggest a Norman date. Very plain tall tower arch. In the north wall of the nave is a small moulded granite arched doorway, originally leading to the rood screen which was removed in 1840. A hagioscope gives a view of the altar from the south chapel. The chancel roof is a complete probably C19 restoration. The wagon roof to the nave appears to retain its original principal rafters which are moulded and terminate in drop pendants. The large bosses may have been restored with some of the other timbers although the wall-plates appear mainly original. The south chapel retains its very large original elaborately carved bosses which include ones of Christ's head, a dying stag, a lioness and a woman's head. The south aisle and transept roofs have been at least partially restored. The octagonal granite font is probably C16 with simple shaft and chamfered base; its panels are decorated with devices such as shields, the keys of St. Peter and sword of St. Paul. The marble reredos is of 1884 by J.D. Sedding. The oak stalls in the chancel with carved animals and birds were installed in 1892. Although it does not retain much of its early fittings this church preserves a largely medieval fabric with traces of an earlier building; it is notable for the survival of a number of early windows dating from the C13 to the C16. Sources: Beatrix Cresswell - Churches in the Deanery of Tavistock; Kelly's Directory [1897]

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV6039 - GRAVE SLAB (XII to XVI - 1200 AD to 1599 AD)
• FDV2836 - CHURCH PLATE (XVIII - 1750 AD to 1799 AD)

Associated Events: none recorded

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