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Summary

Church was opened in 1875 and replaced a medieval thatched chapel that stood on the site. It was served by Sampford Courtney until 1933 when it joined with Belstone. A solidly constructed Victorian replacement of the original thatched medieval chapel of ease. Modest in form, scale and location it gains character from being built mainly of local stone.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5133
• National Monuments Record: SX69SW37
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444200

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHURCH (Constructed, XIX - 1875 AD (Between) to 1875 AD (Between))
• WAR MEMORIAL (World War I to World War II - 1914 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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

Depicted on the late 19th century historic map.

Fulford Williams, H., 1957, Sampford Courtenay and Honeychurch, 233-234 (Article in Serial). SDV337291.

Chapel of St Mary's circa 1180 built at Sticklepath had cob walling and granite seats around walls. It became ruinous and was replaced by the present building in 1875.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX69SW37 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV270286.

(30/01/1978) At SX 63979407 is the 1875 church of St Mary's which was apparently constructed upon the site of the Medieval Chapel.

Dartmoor National Park Authority, 2005, Sticklepath Conservation Area Appraisal (Draft), 25 (Report - Assessment). SDV357556.

St Mary’s (unlisted)
A solidly constructed Victorian replacement of the original thatched medieval chapel of ease. Modest in form, scale and location it gains character from being built mainly of local stone.

Church of England, 2014, Church of England, http://www.achurchnearyou.com/sticklepath-st-mary-chapel/ (Website). SDV356536.

St Mary, Sticklepath
Originally on this site there was an old thatched chapel which dated from 1146 and was possibly the oldest Chantry in the diocese. In Mr Baring Gould's Book of Dartmoor he states: 'At Sticklepath was a curious old cob thatched chapel, but this was unnecessarily destroyed and a modern erection of no interest or beauty has taken its place.' This is referring to the current church of St Mary which was built in 1875.
The only relic that remains from the old chapel is the fragment of stone, with red and blue colouring, which could be a figure of Mary in a blue robe, and is now set in one of the recesses in the sanctuary. The new church has a north porch and an apsidal chancel which is divided from the nave by a plain arch.
The roof of the nave is open timbered and that of the chancel panelled. The east window representing the crucifixion was given in 1871 in memory of George Henry and Mary Jackson. The west window was erected in 1913 by John Cook in memory of his parents John and Mary who died in 1852 and 1882. There is a small octagonal font. In 1950 the whole of the belfry was demolished, as a lot of the rafters were completely rotten, and then rebuilt. The church, despite years of desecration and decay, has survived. It was served by Sampford Courtney until 1933 when it joined with Belstone.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

Depicted on the modern mapping.

Curno, J., 2015, John Curno Photography (Website). SDV357649.

St. Marys Church, Sticklepath. Photograph of a plaque inside the church listing details of those lost in war. No further details available at this time (plaque cannot be read from the photograph).

Powell, J., 2021, Archaeological Report for St. Marys Church, Sticklepath, Devon, EX20 2NL (Report - Excavation). SDV365303.

The test pitting in 2021 aimed to identify any evidence associated with industrial building dating from the 19th century, a chapel which preceded the current church or a chantry dating from a much earlier period.
Test Pit Two contains clear evidence of human activity and of a building with an attached cob feature, thought potentially to belong to a mid-20th century building associated with farming or industrial activity. Alternatively, this structure may be related to the chapel described by Baring-Gould.
Series of finds also noted including fragments of slate, plaster, pottery, clay pipe, glass and metal.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8888 - Test pit excavation at St. Mary's Church, Sticklepath

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