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Summary

Small medieval church with Norman font, 15th century bench ends and a 19th century turret.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1105150: CHURCH OF HOLY TRINITY

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5261
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS42SE/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 91436

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (XV to XVIII - 1401 AD to 1800 AD)

Full description

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

Holy Trinity, rebuilt 1435. Norman font. Fine set of carved bench ends from early 16th century. Church consists of chancel, nave and south porch. Formally, it possesed a tower of six bells, but this tower was struck by lightening in 1809 and partly destroyed. It was removed in the same year and a western turret was erected, containing one bell, which bears the date 1772. At east and outside, wood trusses on the south and north sides near the roof are visible, probably inside width of wall. Roof slates, as seen from north, show twist in roof over chancel. Small buttress at NW and north. Roof at angle bearing to north. Nave also barrel roof, but last two bays at west end restored. Junction on north side of nave with chancel, lower than south side, which has an internal projection. 16th century carved bench ends, some of which are used as panels for the pulpit. Norman font. Coat of arms, George II, 1731, fixed onto internal wooden belfry casing. Flooring. Immediately inside the south door, four rows of worn Barnstable tiles, 18th century. In aisle, five sections of two rows each, centre one of fleur-de-lys and flanked by four tiles forming medallion, with bird on each. These sections, separated by slave grave stones. Porch abutting, later than church. Floor formed of three rows of square red tiles. Fremington clay, alternating with two rows of concrete. Arch of south door: blocks of grey "Pickwell stone" of Pilton beds, weathered. Churchyard. Bank on east side, probably old boundary, now extended for modern graves.

Department of Environment, 1955, Landcross, 13 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV7079.

Listed: grade 2/9/5a.
Tower destroyed in 1809 and replaced by present slate turret. Sixteenth century carved bench ends some of which are used in pulpit. General Monk was christened here in 1608.

Department of Environment, 1958, Landcross (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV319947.

Anglican Parish Church. Fifteenth century. Coursed slatestone rubble, rendered to north; gabled slate roof; early 19th century bell cupola to west, clad in slate hanging and with ball finial surmounting pyramidal roof. Nave and chancel.

Meade, H. M., 1977, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV7081.

Parish Church. One of the smallest churches in devon. Built in 1435. Norman font. Barrel vaulted roof. Perpendicular windows.

Department of Environment, 1988, Landcross, 105 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV4217.

Church of Holy Trinity.
Anglican parish church. Fifteenth century. Coursed slatestone rubble, rendered to north; gabled slate roof; early 19th century bell cupola to
west, clad in slate hanging and with ball finial surmounting pyramidal roof. Nave and chancel. East gable wall has curved timbers at ceiling height; hood mould over 3-light Perpendicular window with panel tracery. Two-bay south wall has label moulds over 2 and 3-light mullioned windows with trefoiled square heads; heads of 3-light windows have been restored in late 19th century. Late 19th century gabled porch with chamfered pointed-arched doorway. Label mould over similar 3-light trefoil-headed window in west gable.
Interior: 15th century waggon roof with moulded ribs throughout; roof in chancel has finely-carved vine trails and 2 angels.
Fittings: early 17th century panelling and 16th century linenfold panelling to rear of reredos. Pulpit has early 16th century decoratively-carved panels reset in mid 19th century frame. Fine 16th century bench ends have carved tracery, blank shields under cinquefoiled arches, carved heads and figures.
15th- to 16th century floor tiles. Twelfth century cushion-shaped font set on column with cable moulding; the font is set in the west gable wall and is flanked by reset 16th century linenfold panels and 17th century engaged balusters. Eighteenth century Royal Arms on west wall. Monuments: slatestone slab to Anthony Clifford, died 1649, next to pulpit; 17th century- to 18th century ledger stones. Tablet to John Wills, died 1861, in nave. Stained glass: plain glass with coloured borders presented by John Ford, 1870. Other details: LBS number 91436.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 530 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Small, aisleless, basically medieval, with a projecting slate-hung wall turret replacing a tower destroyed by lightening c.1820.
Pulpit with early Renaissance panels similar to those usual on bench ends.
Some bench ends with shields, profile heads and Perpendicular leaves; two with tumblers in characteristically Elizabethan little arcades.

English Heritage, 2009, Pastscape (Website). SDV341728.

Other details: SS42SE25.

Bradbeer, J., 2022, Holy Trinity Church and bench ends, Landcross, Torridge (Ground Photograph). SDV364888.

Images of Holy Trinity Church and 15th century bench ends with the instruments of the passion and crucifixion. According to Gray, T. in (2012) Devon’s Ancient Bench Ends the bench ends are virtually unique to Devon within a wider European context and gives a degree of prominence to Landcross.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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