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Summary

St. Andrew's parish church in Moretonhampstead with an early 15th century tower and a late 15th century nave and aisles. Heavily restored in 1856 and 1905.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1334222: St Andrew's Parish Church, Moretonhampstead

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5126
• National Monuments Record: SX78NE37
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 898323
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78NE/3
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 85087

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Built, XV to Edwardian - 1401 AD (Between) to 1905 AD (Between))
• WAR MEMORIAL (World War I to World War II - 1918 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

Swete, R. J. (Revd), 1792-1801, 564M 'Picturesque Sketches of Devon' by Reverend John Swete, 564M/F13/135 (Record Office Collection). SDV337942.

Illustrations by Swete.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'St Andrews Church (Rectory)' shown as an irregular shaped building on 19th century map with a 'Grave Yard' to the north.

Windeatt, E., 1900, Early Non-Conformity in Totnes, 412 (Article in Serial). SDV350015.

Stone in the north side of the chancel inscribed to the memory of Francis Whiddon, died 1656.

Bligh Bond, F., 1903, Devonshire Screens and Rood Lofts. Part II, 477 (Article in Serial). SDV6113.

The rood screen was taken down in 1857. Part was removed to Powderham Castle, some remains may still exist. Part to Whitchurch, where it occupies the north aisle opening. Work of perpendicular character. Groining replaced by carved spandrels.

Charbonnier, C., 1908-1909, Early English Bones, 73, Photo (Article in Serial). SDV350014.

In the Victoria and Albert Museum is the lower part of a pulpit base of perpendicular date acquired in Braunton and said to be from Moretonhampstead.

Chanter, J. F., 1915, Proceedings at the 54th Annual Meeting, 39 (Article in Serial). SDV350010.

Parish church. Consists of nave, chancel, north and south aisles, and western tower; the five arches have heavy rude octagonal shafts with plain capitals; the roof line of an earlier nave can be seen against the tower. A new screen; the old one was taken down in 1857 and given to Whitchurch for re-erection. The old screen had a newel staircase in a turret on the north side that still remains. In the churchyard there are some curious carved stones of a pre-Norman period, which formed part of the paving of the tower.

Curious 2, 1916-1917, Savery Memorials, 31 (Article in Serial). SDV350011.

A 17th century stone on the chancel floor in memory of Christopher Savery was recorded in 1831.

Anonymous, 1927, Proceedings of the Congress of the British Archaeological Association at Exeter, 20 (Article in Serial). SDV35433.

Fryer Cornelius, C., 1946, Ancient Devon Parish Churches within a Ten Mile Radius of Newton Abbot, 123-152 (Article in Serial). SDV312246.

Fryer Cornelius, C., 1947, Fittings, Furnishings and Finishings of the Ancient Devon Parish Churches within a Ten Mile Radius of Newton Abbot, 81-89 (Article in Serial). SDV312247.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: South Devon, 208 (Monograph). SDV336217.

Church dedicated to St. Andrew. Four-stage west tower with diagonal buttresses, polygonal stair-turret and short pinnacles. Battlemented porch. Body of church roughcast. All windows conventionally perpendicular. Absence of interesting fittings.

Hughes, G. W. G., 1954, Moretonhampstead, 78-81 (Article in Serial). SDV314001.

Description of the church and its history given, with details of the restorations of 1856 and 1904.

Department of Environment, 1987, Moretonhampstead, 113-114 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV337636.

Parish Church early 15th century tower and late 15th century nave and aisles with heavy restorations in 1885 and 1905. Aisle and porch walls rendered granite, tower is built of small dressed granite blocks, rebuilt chancel is of similar construction although internally the walls of the sanctuary are of beerstone. In the restoration of 1904 the present screen was erected. The doorways to the original rood screen are still visible. See listing description for full details.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 576-7 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Simkins, M. A. + Simkins, R. J. J., 1991, Lord Hambledon and Moretonhampstead, 177-178, 180 (Article in Serial). SDV347370.

Restored 1904. Chancel extended, new organ loft, choir and vestries, wood floor replaced with tiles, new oak wagon roof, new screen (replica of that removed in 1857). During removal of old wall plaster a doorway (which once must have given access to a priest's chamber) and window were revealed, as well as the arms of the Earls of Devon. There is a window in the nave to the west of the porch, commemorating W H Smith, erected 1904-1905.

Swete, J. (ed. Gray T. + Rowe, M.), 2000, Travels in Georgian Devon. The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Swete. Vol. 4, 30, 31 (Monograph). SDV339713.

Best, J. + Manning, P., 2007, Archaeological Evaluation of the Annexe of Greenhill Primary School, Moretonhampstead, Devon, 3 (Report - Evaluation). SDV350009.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

'St Andrew's Church' shown on modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

Church of St. Andrew. Parish church, early 15th century tower and late 15th century nave and aisles with heavy restorations in 1856 and 1905. Aisle and porch walls rendered granite, tower is built of small dressed granite blocks, rebuilt chancel is of similar construction although internally the walls of the sanctuary are of Beerstone. Dressed granite and Beerstone detail to doors and window. Nave and chancel roof is slate with gable ends; aisles have flat lead roofs. Nave with north and south aisles, chancel with rebuilt sanctuary and north chapel dating from 1904. West tower and two storey south porch. All in Perpendicular style. Chamfered plinth around all the church except for the chancel. Very imposing four- stage west tower with battlementing at top, slightly corbelled out from the top stage and pinnacle at each corner. Pentagonal stair turret on south side with narrow slit window at each stage. Diagonal buttresses with weatherings at each corner of tower. On the top stage are two-light round-headed belfry openings on three sides. On the south side at the second stage is a narrow single light window. On the west face is a wide granite doorway with four-centred arch, double chamfered with cushion stops and relieving arch above. Window above is completely restored but the double relieving arch above is original. Shallow arched niche either side and above at second stage with inscribed initials on stone either side. On the top stage is a further niche above the belfry opening with a late 20th century statue in it. On north side of tower at second stage is narrow light with chamfered surround and arched head. North aisle windows all appear to be late 19th/early 20th century restorations in granite and Beerstone with buttresses either side of windows. Pentagonal rood stair turret towards left end is taller than the aisle and battlemented as are both the aisles. North chapel projects forward from aisle with buttresses and central large Perpendicular style window and two square-headed mullion windows below. Chancel to the left has possibly original windows on north and south sides and some reused fabric to the east window. South aisle windows appear to be late 19th/early 20th century restoration and also have intermediate buttresses and setback buttresses at the east end. Slightly projecting demi-hexagonal rood stair turret above the second buttress from the right. At west end of aisle is diagonal buttress. Two storey 16th century south porch has pointed four-centred granite arched doorway with ovolo moulding on inside and outside with cushion stops. Rectangular niche above and on top of that is a two-light Beerstone mullion window with cinquefoil heads and delicately carved foliage in spandrels. Eroded coat of arms above. The cill has been renewed in granite. Church doorway has granite pointed four-centred arch with double chamfer. Porch has stone seats either side and arched holy water stoup on south wall. Two early 19th century memorials to French soldiers. Spacious and light interior. five-bay arcade either side of nave with octagonal piers which have cushion stops not separate bases. These appear to have been considerably restored since not all have stops and some have stops only on one side. No chancel arch. Pointed tower arch, chamfered, springing from chamfered impost at top of each respond. Chancel extended by almost half as much again in restoration of 1904 although some features in the sanctuary such as a wide chamfered granite arch behind the incumbent's stall, the trefoil-headed piscina on the south wall and aumbry on the north wall have probably been reused. The waggon roof over the nave and chancel with moulded ribs and wall-plates is either a heavy early 20th century restoration or a reconstruction. The north and south aisles have flat panelled 20th cebntury ceilings. On the east wall of the tower inside the church is evidence of an earlier high-pitched roof signifying the presence of a smaller church onto which a new tower was added in 1418 according to the Register of Bishop Edmund Stafford, and which was then replaced by the present nave and aisles. The original rood screen was removed in the restoration of 1856 - part going to St Andrew's Church, Whitchurch and part going to Powderham Castle. In the restoration of 1904 the present screen was erected. The doorways to the original rood screen are still visible. Just outside the chancel is a 15th century granite octagonal font with moulded edges and base and the shaft and panels decorated with shell trefoil-headed niches. No stained glass earlier than the 19th century survives. The old pews were removed in 1856. In 1904 the gallery was removed from the west end of the nave and at this date also the 18th century pulpit was replaced, the only remains of this is a wooden carved angel sounding a trumpet which was originally above the sounding board. The organ dates from 1902. In the 1856 restoration the flagstones on the floor were removed so no tomb slabs survive. There is a good wall memorial above the south door to Francis Whiddon MA who died January 5th 1656 and 'was 32 years minister of this parish'. He was the son of Francis Whidden of Whidden in Chagford. Beneath the details of his family is a short elegiac poem. The memorial itself is rectangular and inscribed on slate with a plasterwork surround decorated with shield and family coat of arms at top and bottom and with bunches of fruit and flowers around the edge. Date listed: 23rd August 1955.

Gillespie Yunnie Architects, 2013, Ellacombe Farm: Historic Building Record, 4.4 (Report - Survey). SDV352020.

Lord Hambledon was involved in the restoration and enlarging of St Andrew's Church in Moretonhampstead in 1904-5.

Curno, J., 2015, John Curno Photography, http://johncurnophotography.co.uk/projects/dartmoor-war-memorials (Website). SDV357649.

Plaque inside Moretonhampstead Church commemorates those who died in the First and Second World Wars. It reads:
'Remember the men of this parish who in the Great War 1914 - 1918 endured all and gave all - live thou for England, they for England died'.
This is followed by the list of names of 36 men from the navy, army and air force who died during the First World War.
Below this is reads:
'Lord all pitying Jesu blest. Grant them thine eternal rest', followed by the names of 12 men who perished in the Second World War.

Thorp, J., 2019, Weavers Fore Street, Moretonhampstead, An Impact Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV365276.

Griffith, F. M., 21/12/1986, DAP/HH, 3-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350012.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6010 - Archaeological Evaluation of the Annexe of Greenhill Primary School, Moretonhampstead (Ref: 07.42)

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