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Summary

Church of St Peter and St Mary, mainly 12th and 13th century with 19th and early 20th century restoration. It is suggested that there was an earlier church here which was demolished to make way for the present building.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1216101: CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST PETER

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5021
• National Monuments Record: SY18NW78
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY18NW/30
• Old Listed Building Ref (B): 401422

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Built, Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Morshead, J. Y. A., 1898, A History of Salcombe Regis, 136,138-9,141 (Article in Serial). SDV101215.

Parish church dedicated to the virgin and built in 1150. It has a richly carved chancel, the low arch between it and the short nave containing a font. The west door is now embedded in the south chancel wall, and outside stood the chapel of saints Clement and Magdalene, now the west end of the south aisle. The windows were small short Norman high-lights. The walls of sandstone and the roof of straw. No tower. There is an early cross over the east window. The church was enlarged, and the tower built in the 14th and 15th century.

Whitely, H. M., 1910, Visitations of Devonshire Churches, 459-460,470-471 (Article in Serial). SDV124357.

Episcopal visitations were made in July 1301, when the chancel was in the process of being re-roofed, and in July 1330, when the fabric of the church was found to be in a poor state.

Johnston, P. M., 1921, Norman Features in Some South Devon Churches, 203-206 (Article in Serial). SDV124355.

The church has interesting Norman work in the chancel.

Cresswell, B. F., 1927, Devonshire Churches: The Buildings and Builders, 153 (Article in Serial). SDV124362.

Cresswell suggests that the Norman church was completely demolished before rebuilding on the same site.

Ditchfield, P. H., 1927, Report of the Congress at Exeter, 49 (Article in Serial). SDV35433.

Arnold, M., 1927, St. Peter's church, Salcombe Regis, 183-186 (Article in Serial). SDV115876.

A small church with meany interesting early features. See article for details.

Cornish, J. G., 1932 - 1933, The quarries of Salcombe Regis, 32 (Article in Serial). SDV337192.

The nearby quarry at north coombe provided stone for 14th-15th century rebuilding.

Bannister, G. W., 1935, Proceedings at the seventy-fourth annual meeting held at Sidmouth from the 24th to the 28th of June, 1935, 12-13 (Article in Serial). SDV102171.

Salcombe Regis was given to the monastic church at Exeter by King Athelstan in AD925. The church is first mentioned in 1149 and Norman work survives in the south wall of the chancel and in the gable is a Norman consecration cross. The church was enlarged in the mid 13th century when the chancel was lengthened and a new south aisle erected. It was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin in 1258. There were chapel to St Mary Magdalene and St Clement in the south and north aisles respectively; a piscina still remains in the latter.
The tower was built and the aisles widened in the 15th century at which time the church was dedicated to St Peter. The vestry and charnel house probably date to about 1550. The church was restored in 1850 and the chancel was rebuilt in 1869. According to local stories the tower was once used for hiding smuggled contraband. A squint window gives a view of the high altar from the tower stairs. The font is 15th century on a mid 13th century shaft.

Reichel, O. J., 1939, The Church and the Hundreds in Devon, 340 (Article in Serial). SDV15424.

The manor of Salcombe was held by the Bishop of Exeter at the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086. There may have been a church here at that time.

Hoskins, W. G., 1940 - 1941, The occupation of land in Devon 1650-1800., 9 (Article in Serial). SDV337828.

Ellis leigh, or lee, a substantial landowner in the parish, was honoured with burial inside the church, with a monument.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 471 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Department of Environment, 1973, Sidmouth, 97 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV98992.

Church of St Peter and St Mary. Mainly C12 and C13. Norman piers on north side of nave. Blocked Norman arch in chancel and lintel craving internally. C13 arches to north arcade, the south aisle and west window of same date. Chancel windows circa 1300. Possibly the double chamfered arches of the south arcade, butting directly on piers and the chancel arch are also circa 1300. Dedication of 1295 recorded. Perpendicular west tower with stair turret. Two storey late perpendicular extension for vestry and chancel house on west side of north aisle. The tower screen and pulpit plain C18. Stained glass; north window retains C15 fragments. Chancel windows by Clayton and Bell. Sir Norman Lockyer, founder of the nearby observatory, is buried here

Griffith, F. M., 1987, DAP/IQ, 8, 9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV120097.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 710 (Monograph). SDV325629.

The circular piers in the north arcade are Norman (the arches are 13th century) and there is the remains of a Norman doorway in the south wall of the chancel. It is suggested that the chancel windows, chancel arch are the south arcade all date to c.1300. The tower is perpendicular, as is a two storey addition containing the vestry and charnel house. The chancel was restored in 1869 and the church generally was restored in 1924. Monuments include a slate tablet to Joanna Avant, died 1695.

Fisher, J., 1999, East Devon Conservation Area Appraisals: Salcombe Regis, 3-5 (Report - non-specific). SDV346784.

St. Mary and St. Peter's Church retains some original detail, with circular piers and scalloped capitals in the north arcade. There are the remains of a Norman doorway in the south wall of the chancel. The chancel was restored in the 1869, with a tactfull overall restoration in 1924. There is a fine 15th century lectern carved from a single piece of wood. Other details: Maps, photographs.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 1831 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Parish Church of St Peter. Present building of Norman and later date but may have been earlier church built after 925 when manor given by King Athelstan to monastic church at Exeter. Chapel of St Clement and St Mary Magdalene adjacent. Listed Building.
SMR.

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

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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