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Summary

Mid 19th century church designed by J. W. Rowell for the Courtenay Estate. Sited prominently in the centre of Devon Square.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1257096: CHURCH OF ST PAUL

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5131
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87SE/44
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 464221

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAPEL (XIX - 1859 AD to 1861 AD (Between))

Full description

Harris, S. G., 1899, Notes on the History of Newton Abbot, 290 (Article in Serial). SDV338239.

St. Paul's Chapel of Ease. Built by the Earl of Devon in the late 19th century.

Department of Environment, 1983, Newton Abbot, 10 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV298253.

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

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

Church of St. Paul. Church. 1859-1861. By J. W. Rowell. MATERIALS: squared Devon limestone rubble with freestone dressings, slate roof hipped and swept to the eaves of the 5-sided apse which has a stone stack to the south side. Cream freestone rustication to diagonal buttresses at quoins and centres of the transepts; cream freestone pointed relieving arches over lancet windows. PLAN: cruciform plan with canted chancel end, vestry with adjacent stack to south east and wooden bell turret; attached to north east, and extnding eastwards, is a rectangular-plan range with canted end. EXTERIOR: gabled nave and transepts have stone crosses to the parapets of the gables which have circular windows with alternate red and cream voussoirs encircling 3 quatrefoiled lights. Vestry has irrregular lancets and flying buttress feature. Aisles to rear (west) of transepts have paired lancets. Central buttresses are flanked by tall lancets. The 4-bay nave, articulated by offset buttresses has paired lancets under wide relieving arches. Fine north porch has alternate voussoirs of buff and grey to pointed moulded arch on 2 orders of colonettes with dog-tooth carving; inner chamfered arch, with decorative wrought-iron hinges to double plank doors and brick arch framing stencilled lettering which reads 'This is the Gate of Heaven....'. A fine square-plan bell tower at the crossing is slate-hung at the base; the painted timber belfry of 3 trefoil-headed open panels with quatrefoils to the bases of each side is roofed by a tall square spire offset at the eaves, with a cockerel weathervane. Large west window with alternating buff/grey voussoirs to wide segmental arch over triplet of windows with colonettes and similar chamfered trefoiled lancets flanking 2-light plate-tracery window. INTERIOR: timber-frame, cross-arched-braced roof on stone corbels, making a striking openwork quadripartite form to the crossing and the trusses of the five-sided apse fanning out and resting on marble corbels; pointed-arched rerarches with dog-tooth moulding, engaged colonettes and trefoil heads to 20th century stained glass windows; triple polished colonettes with elaborately carved corbels above and below support a pointed chancel arch of alternate red and cream voussoirs; corbelled-out pulpit to the left has winding stone steps; fine polychromatic tile chancel floor; oak communion rail with brass scroll supports. Furniture includes original pews and a 1932 octagonal font with a granite plinth, red marble shaft and cream freestone base and bowl. World War I memorial glass. HISTORY: J. W. Rowell provided the designs for the development of the Courtenay estate between circa 1840 and 1860, of which Devon Square formed the centre. A finely-detailed and 'roguish' design by a prominent local architect with a marked awareness of national trends and the work of architects such as Teulon and Carpenter. Sited prominently in the centre of Devon Square. Date listed: 16th July 1949.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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