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Summary

St John the Baptist's parish church in Hatherleigh mainly 15th century and restored in 1884

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1105250: CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5138
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS50SW/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (I)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

NMR, SS50SW8 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV338917.

National Monuments Record, SS5404, 18-19 (Aerial Photograph). SDV338918.

Kerslake, T., 1877, Traces of the Ancient Kingdom of Dumnonia outside Cornwall, 426 (Article in Serial). SDV5885.

The dedication of the parish church at Hatherleigh to St John could be to a local saint and martyr, Joannes, rather than to John the Baptist.

Reichel, O. J., 1898, The Domesday Churches of Devon, 310 (Article in Serial). SDV863.

As this was one of the areas where Tavistock Abbey held estates there is thought to have been an oratory at Hatherleigh at the time of the Domesday book.

Martin, J. M., 1906, Pages from a manuscript history of Hatherleigh, 309-12 (Article in Serial). SDV338909.

A mural painting was discovered in the parish church in 1832. It was destroyed but a copy was taken.

Abell, E. T., 1924 - 1925, St Christopher, 383-4 (Article in Serial). SDV338910.

Renovation of new gallery in north aisle in 1832 revealed the figure of St Augustine or St Christopher. Description and dimensions. Review of Short's unpublished manuscript containing an account of Hatherleigh church and illustrations, including the mural of St Christopher which Short discovered (note: Williams later published a cyclostyled book partly based on Short's manuscript).

Cresswell, B. F., 1924 - 1925, St. Christopher, 293 (Article in Serial). SDV6353.

Short made a copy of the painting of St Christopher in the north aisle. Illustrated by a photograph. Other details: Plate.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 96 (Monograph). SDV336196.

Pevsner describes architecture of church, including west tower with shingled spire, five-bay arcades between nave and aisles, chancel chapel and ceiled wagon-roofs. Fittings include pulpit, norman font, bench-ends, communion rails, stained glass and church plate.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 406 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Hatherleigh parish church. Mainly a fifteenth century building of red sandstone with a shingled spire. A few sixteenth century carved benches remain; also an early eighteenth century pulpit and altar rails.

Williams, H. F. F., 1962, Untitled Source (Monograph). SDV338916.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/GN, 1-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV53114.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/GO, 16-18 (Aerial Photograph). SDV15646.

Griffith, F. M., 1987, DAP/JE, 6-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV338919.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 475 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/QB, 14-15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224847.

Westcott, K. A., 1991, Archaeological Recording at St John the Baptist's Church, Hatherleigh 1990-91: I The Nave Roof (Report - Watching Brief). SDV338911.

Collapse of the spire onto the nave caused a breach in the roof approximatley 9 meters long. Seven complete trusses and elements of 18 others were brought down. Nave and aisle roofs were once ceiled with lath and plaster, but this was removed some years ago. Three different styles can be seen in the nave roof. Detailed description and catalogue of recorded elements given.

Westcott, K. A., 1991, Archaeological Recording at St John the Baptist's Church, Hatherleigh 1990-91: II The Spire (Report - Survey). SDV338913.

Medieval timber spire collapsed and completely destroyed in 1990. Major beams of base platform remained intact. Detailed description and catalogue of timbers given.

Hillam, J. + Groves, C., 1991, Tree-ring Analysis of Oak Timbers from St John the Baptist's Church, Hatherleigh (Draft report for Ancient Monuments Laboratory) (Report - non-specific). SDV338915.

Tree ring data collected from 7 of the most suitable timbers from the collapsed medieval spire at Hatherleigh. When tested against reference chronologies from AD404-present day, no relative or absolute dating was obtained. This could be the result of the relative shortness and complacency of the ring patterns, lack of relative dating material and local environmental factors.

Beverley, S. M. + Nenk, S. + Margeson, S. + Hurley, M., 1992, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1991 (Article in Serial). SDV58456.

Spire was 15.46 meters high, supported by central mast. Three framed platforms supported 16 rafters. Much primary medieval structure survived intact, though limited replacement/reinforcement occurred in 19th century. Excavation in advance of rebuilding south arcade revealed robbing of south wall of 15th century church, and remains of earlier wall on different alignment to arcade.

Westcott, K. A., 1992, The spire and roofs of Hatherleigh church: Investigations following the storm damage of 1990, 61-90 (Article in Serial). SDV338912.

Unknown, 2001, Hatherleigh Town Trail and Street Map (Pamphlet). SDV338920.

Blaylock, S. R., 2002, Observations at St Nicholas' Church, Brushford, Somerset, 6 (Report - non-specific). SDV338883.

Surviving shingle roof to the spire of Hatherleigh parish church which was renewed after the spire collapsed in a storm in January 1990.

Department of Environment, 29/02/1988, Hatherleigh, 30 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV256974.

Parish church of St John the Baptist in Hatherleigh. Late 15th and early 16th century, restored in 1884. Stone rubble walls, roughly coursed. Gable ended slate roof. Wood shingle spire to tower. Plan: nave, north and south aisle, north transept, west tower and south porch. The aisles are probably of slightly different dates judging from the difference in their arcades but is is unclear which is the earlier. Exterior: 3 stage West tower with spire in diminishing stages. Set back buttresses with carved stone masks set on the corners of the tower in between them at the top of the first stage. 2-light belfry openings have cinquefoil headed lights with quartrefoil above. Double roll and hollow moulded 2-centre arched west doorway with hoodmould. 3-light Perpendicular West window with restored mullions. Single arched light on second stage. Semi-octagonal stair turret on north side of tower with small arched and quatrefoil lights. North aisle has 19th century 3-light Decorated style window at west end. Granite moulded 4-centred arched north doorway which has tall early 16th century 3 light granite mullion window with segmental heads to west. North transept has moulded 17th century 3-light mullion window at low level on west side. On its north face are two 3-light early 16th century windows similar to that on north aisle with small 19th century 2-centred doorway between them; similar doorway at lower ground level on east side. North side of north chapel has 19th century early English style 3-light window. At east end aisles are parallel with end of chancel. East window of north aisle has late Perpendicular 5-light window in 2 stages with no cusping. Good granite Perpendicular east window of 5 lights. South aisle east window is similar style but restored. South chapel has a 19th century window and shallow rood stair projection to their west with small arched light. The south aisle has 2 early 16th century windows similar to north aisle. 1-storey gabled south porch has moulded shafts and double arched 4-centred head to doorway. Small slate sundial above. Good interior: Porch has wagon roof with moulded ribs whose wall-plates have been replaced. South doorway has chamfered sandstone 2-centred arch with heavy panelled oak door. The porch floor is partly cobbled in a geometric design. The internal walls of the church have been stripped of plaster apart from the north transept and a section of the north wall which retains its old plaster and traces of a 16th century wall painting of St Christopher. Two 5-bay granite arcades. The north one has Pevsner A-type piers with moulded cup capitals and 4-centred moulded arches. South arcade is similar but with shallower simply moulded capitals. Taller arch has double 4-centre arched head. In south wall is segmental headed granite doorway to former rood loft stairs. The original wagon roofs appear to be complete with moulded ribs and carved bosses. Carved wall-plates to north Chapel and transept. Wooden angel corbels may date from restoration. Painted ceilure at east end of nave with original carved angels on wall-plate. More elaborately carved roof to north chapel. Some 16th century carved bench ends survive in the nave and north aisle. Late 16th or early 17th century 5-sided panelled pulpit with overhanging top richly carved on its soffit and supported on carved brackets. The lectern is constructed from parts of the old screen. At the west end of the nave is a pew constructed from decorated pieces of 17th century panelling. Altar rails are late 17th or early 18th century with alternate barley-twist and fluted balusters and central gate. Square Norman font on 4 thick pillars at each corner and central stem. Cupolashaped 18th century font cover with ball finial. Several very good late 17th and early 18th century wall memorials survive notably an elaborate one on the south wall to John Lethbridge Gent. of Deckport in Hatherleigh parish, who died 1706. It has marble pilasters and a broken pediment with a cherub to either side and heraldic shield at its centre. This church retains much of its medieval fabric and has an impressive interior.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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