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Summary

15th and early 16th century, chancel rebuilt with new vestry in 1863. 16th century pulpit and one 15th century oak bench has been preserved. Includes a number of memorials. Not only is this an attractive Perpendicular Dartmoor Parish Church but it dominates the village and also can be seen for miles around.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1106073: CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5135
• National Monuments Record: SX79SW16
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445815
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX79SW/18
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 94891

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (XIV to XIX - 1400 AD (Between) to 1863 AD (Between))
• WAR MEMORIAL (World War I - 1914 AD to 1918 AD)

Full description

Chanter, J. F., 1915, Proceedings at the 54th Annual Meeting, 39-40 (Article in Serial). SDV350010.

Parish Church of the Holy Trinity. Consisted of a chancel, nave, aisles, north and south, western tower and southern porch (with a room over it). Style, mainly perpendicular. Material, granite. Several of the shafts of the five arches were monoliths. The south wall was embattled, north side had a finer elevation and more elaborate window tracery. Cradle roofs; that in the nave plastered, but in the aisles, old wall plates and good bosses remain.
The old font was a fine Norman tub-shaped font. It is now in the rectory garden injured by rough treatment. Screen gone, only rood loft door remains. Chancel rebuilt in 1863.

Cresswell, B. F., 1918-1919, Sepulchral Slabs with Crosses in Devon Churches, 6,fig. (Article in Serial). SDV7613.

The church contains two stone slabs incised with crosses. One is of remarkable form suggesting three crosses starting from a globe.

Watkin, H. R., 1930 - 1934, Seven Hundred Years Ago. AD 1232, 213 (Article in Serial). SDV81790.

Two carved granite slabs are believed by the author to date from the 13th century. Possibly as a result of the VI crusade.

Ordnance Survey, 1953-1969, 1953-1969 National Grid OS A edition imperial, (1958) (Cartographic). SDV352727.

(SX 73649085) Holy Trinity Church (C of E) (NAT).

Copeland, G. W., 1962, Proceedings at the Centenary Meeting, 24 (Article in Serial). SDV326456.

JEFFERY, 1977, Clock in Drewsteignton Church, 13/12/1977 (Report - Survey). SDV223624.

The original clock, removed from the church tower in 1892 when the present movement was installed. Made by an unknown local craftsman c.1670-1700. Had neither face nor hands but struck the hours on the tower bell. Now in the back of the nave.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/GI, 17 (Aerial Photograph). SDV233142.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/GJ, 1a,2 (9/9/1986) (Aerial Photograph). SDV287918.

Department of Environment, 1988, Drewsteignton, 70-71 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336831.

Parish church, 15th century and early 16th century, chancel, rebuilt with new vestry in 1863. Coursed blocks of granite ashlar throughout but different styles to different periods; early details of granite and beerstone ashlar, 19th century bathstone detail; slate roof. A 15th century nave. Tall west tower of 3 stages. Buttresses, embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. Porch has flagged floor and benches each side. Mostly original open barrel vaulted roof with massive secondary strengthening cross beams below. Ceiled wagon roof to north aisle. Chancel furniture and fittings are all 19th century. Some 19th century pine box pews. Timber gothic tower screen is a first world war memorial. Painted arms of elizabeth i over south door. Some 19th century stained glass.
See List for full details.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 340 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Church of the Holy Trinity. C15th and early C16th, the chancel being rebuilt with a new vestry in 1863. C15th nave, earlier C15th North aisle, later C15th South aisle with contemporary South porch, C15th West tower. The Norman style Beerstone font made in 1893 is a copy of the battered original now in the church tower. Grade I.

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

Memorial plaque in church in Drewsteignton reads:
To the glory of God in loving memory of Robert Guy Incledon Chichester Captain 2nd Battalion The Highland Light Infantry who was killed in action near Ypres 13th November 1914 aged 41 years. "Blessed are the pure in heart".

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.

SX 79 SW DREWSTEIGNTON DREWSTEIGNTON. 5/96 Church of the Holy Trinity, 22.2.1967 - GV I
Parish church. C15 and early C16, chancel rebuilt with new vestry in 1863. Coursed blocks of granite ashlar throughout but different styles to different periods; early detail of granite and Beerstone ashlar, C19 Bathstone detail; slate roof.
Plan: C15 nave with lower chancel rebuilt in C19. North and south aisles, neither of them full length; the north one earlier (maybe early C15), the south one late C15 - early C16 with contemporary 2-storey south porch; C15 west tower. C19 vestry in angle of north aisle and chancel.
Exterior: tall west tower of 3 stages with diagonal buttresses and embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. Internal stair turret in south-west corner. Belfry windows are twin lancets. The west side has a 2-centred arch doorway with double- chamfered surround. Directly above is a 3-light window with granite Y-tracery and above that a C19 painted clockface. The south aisle and porch have set back buttresses and a continuous embattled parapet. The porch set left of centre interrupts the 5-bay front. The 4 windows are all 3 lights with Perpendicular granite tracery and plain hoodmoulds (another in the east end). Porch has projecting stair turret in angle with nave left side. Its outer arch is round-headed with moulded surround and contains C19 doors. Above twin round-headed lancets with sink spandrels. C19 chancel is Gothic in style including a 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery in east end. North aisle has original coping to gables, set back buttresses and 5-window front of 3-light windows with Perpendicular tracery and hoodmoulds with carved head label stops, another in east end and west end is blind.
Interior: porch has flagged floor and benches each side. South door is round- headed with double-chamfered surround and contains a C19 door. Nave has restored but essentially original open barrel vaulted roof with massive secondary strengthening crossbeams below. The north aisle has a ceiled wagon roof with moulded ribs and purlins, good carved oak bosses and wallplate enriched with four leaf decoration. The south aisle is similar but not identical and is now open. The chancel has a C19 version, open with crossbraces. Tall, plain tower arch springing from imposts. Moulded granite ashlar chancel arch is probably C19. Each side of nave are granite 5-bay arcades. Both have moulded piers with plain capitals but those to the south aisle are moulded Pevsner's Type A whilst those to the north aisle are Pevsner's Type B. Tiny round-headed doorway in south aisle to porch stair and north side of vestry has C15 2-centred arch to vestry. A monument in the south aisle seems to blocking granite segmental-headed arch of former rood stair turret. Walls are plastered and the flagged floor incorporates a high proportion of granite graveslabs dating from the C15, C16 and C17 and C18. The earliest with inscribed crosses and the best in the north aisle. Chancel furniture and fittings are all C19. Sanctuary is lined with small field panelling. Linenfold panelled reredos. Altar fronted carved with angels flanking the Agnus Dei C17 - style oak altar rail. Gothic style stalls. C16 style octagonal drum pulpit dated 1939. Brass eagle lecturn dated 1895. Gothic-style oak prayer desk dated 1954. Gothic style oak benches dated 1931 with some C19 pine box pews in aisles and rear of nave. One C15 oak bench end carved with blind tracery has been preserved. Norman-style Beerstone font built in 1893, a copy of the battered original now in the tower. Timber Gothic tower screen is a First World War memorial. C17 clock movement to rear of the nave. Painted arms of Elizabeth I over south door. C19 painted benefaction board to rear of south aisle records a gift of 1541. Benefaction board to rear of south aisle records a gift of 1541. North aisle has a pair of C19 painted boards recording the Ten Commandments. West end of north aisle has another painted board recording the Ringers Articles. A Beerstone plaque with moulded frame records the 1705 benefaction of one Thomas Hall. Of the memorials the oldest, at the west end of the south aisle, is dated 1701 but the name is illegible. The rest are C19, the best in memory of William Pensford (d. 1807) and his wife Mary (d. 1782). Some C19 stained glass.
Not only is this an attractive Perpendicular Dartmoor Parish Church but it dominates the village and also can be seen for miles around. Source: Church Guide (1986).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV3340 - CLOCK (XVII - 1670 AD to 1700 AD)

Associated Events: none recorded

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