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Summary

The parish church of St Andrew was built in 15th century with a large tower added in the 16th century. The Lane aisle was also added in the 16th century by woollen merchant, John Lane. It is decorated with symbols of the wool trade and the exterior walls have carved ships. The church was restored and partly rebuilt in the 19th century. Probably on the site of an early medieval church.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1306902: PARISH CHURCH OF ST ANDREW

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 4928
• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST00NW/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 95272
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: ST00NW6
• Tide Project: 30/04/2020

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (XV to XIX - 1401 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, ST00NW6 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV57433.

Dean Milles, 1747-1762, Parochial Survey Questionnaire (Monograph). SDV16186.

Respondent to Dean Milles Questionnaire notes rebuilding in 1552 but was not sure which part this was.

Oliver, G., 1846, Monasticon Diocesis Exoniensis, 113 (Monograph). SDV57424.

Anonymous, 1862, Proceedings of the Congress of the British Archaeological Association at Exeter, 247-8 (Article in Serial). SDV57412.

Anonymous, 1875, Untitled Source, 95-6 (Article in Serial). SDV55485.

Carved pew ends at Cullompton Church, bearing heraldic devices. Pendants chiselled with shields, each charged with emblems. One shows the Pillar of Flagellation in Fesse, with the Reed and Spear behind it in Saltire. These pendants date from 1526.

Brushfield, T., 1891, The Church of All Saints, East Budleigh, 233-4 (Article in Serial). SDV57396.

Mural painting of St Christopher in this church, a coloured illustration of which appears in transactions of Exeter Diocesan Architectural Society, III, plate 33.

Reichel, O. J., 1898, The Domesday Churches of Devon, 308 (Article in Serial). SDV863.

The original church was a Prebendal church, dedicated to St Mary, said by Oliver to have been founded by William the Conqueror.

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

Rood screen at St Andrew's Parish Church. Perpendicular with entire groining and cornices. Second series on west side. Restored in 1849; gallery front and pewing removed but older carved work retained. Oak Calvary now at base of tower. North parclose with cornice of shields and figures. South parclose, perpendicular, of four-light openings with flat arched heads.

Chalk, E. S., 1910, The Church of St Andrew, Cullompton, 182-205 (Article in Serial). SDV57397.

Chalk describes the history and architecture of the church in considerable detail.

Howard, F. E., 1911, Fan Vaults, 1-42 (Article in Serial). SDV57395.

Fan vaulting in Lane aisle could well be by the same mason as that in the Dorset aisle at Ottery St Mary.

Clarke, K. M., 1912 - 1913, Saint Gabriel in Devon, 213 (Article in Serial). SDV57399.

A mural representation of St Michael in fresco was obliterated in 1850's. Also other pictures including one of St Christopher.

Thompson, A. H., 1913, Church Architecture in Devon, 468-490; figure 453 (Article in Serial). SDV15387.

Cresswell, B. F., 1918-1919, Sepulchral Slabs with Crosses in Devon Churches, 2,6 (Article in Serial). SDV7613.

Two slab tombstones here bear elaborate crosses. One inside the church is to John King and his wife and is dated 1457. Outside on a high tomb is a coffin- shaped slab decorated with a representation of the tree of life. It is ascribed to the early 14th century.

Cresswell, B. F., 1922 - 1923, Mural Paintings in Devonshire Churches, 281 (Article in Serial). SDV6556.

Mural paintings discovered in 1846 were whitewashed over and it is doubtful if they can ever be restored. Among them was a fine depiction of St Christopher.

Graham, R., 1924, The Monastery of Battle., 59 (Article in Serial). SDV57394.

At his death in 1087 William the Conqueror endowed the monastery of Battle with, among other estates, the Church of Cullompton.

Stephenson, M., 1925, A Monumental Brass Lately Discovered in Warwickshire, 172 (Article in Serial). SDV57373.

Cresswell, B. F., 1927, Devonshire Churches: The Buildings and Builders, 161 (Article in Serial). SDV124362.

The Lane Chapel is a notable example of the woollen merchants' contribution to Devonshire ecclesiastical architecture.

Anonymous, 1927, Proceedings of the Congress of the British Archaeological Association at Exeter, 28-9 (Article in Serial). SDV35433.

Parish Church of Cullompton entirely rebuilt in the early 15C. There is no structural division between the nave and chancel, which was rebuilt in Beer stone in 1849 along the lines of the ancient work. Rood screen, which extends across nave and aisles, is one of the most gorgeous and perfect in Devonshire. Carved oak Calvary still preserved in room under the tower and is in good condition.

Anonymous, 1928, Cullompton Church, 154-6 (Article in Serial). SDV57431.

Anonymous, 1934, Cullompton Church, 46 (Article in Serial). SDV57404.

Description of church given at time of visit in 1934.

Reichel, O. J., 1939, The Church and the Hundreds in Devon, 339 (Article in Serial). SDV15424.

G.W.G., 1942 - 1946, The Jacobean Gallery in Cullompton., 223-4 (Article in Serial). SDV57402.

Detailed description of gallery with figures carved in 16th century dress. Erected in 1637.

Williams, E. C., 1956, Mural Paintings of St Catherine in England, 30 (Article in Serial). SDV57393.

Early 15th century mural on the south wall of the nave between clerestory windows.

Carus-Wilson, E. M., 1957, The Significance of the Secular Sculptures in the Lane Chapel, Cullompton., 104-17 (Article in Serial). SDV33556.

Two decorative motifs appear in the fan vaulting and external buttresses of the Lane chapel, both of which reflect the interests of the merchant John Lane who died in 1529 with the traffic of manufactured woollens. The first depicts a winged angel holding a pair of cloth shears, and the second, an angel holding a geometrical device (probably a cloth mark) and a teasel frame. Carved ships can also be seen.

Cox, M. D., 1957, Untitled Source, 142-3 (Article in Serial). SDV57420.

Crowley, J., 1961, Sundials in South Devon, 280 (Article in Serial). SDV4705.

Sundial at Parish Church in poor condition and undated.

Copeland, G. W., 1964, Proceedings at the 102nd Annual Meeting, 21 (Article in Serial). SDV57390.

Visited 8th June 1964. The church has a large tower built in 1545-1549 in a late Perpendicular style with a slight admixture of Renaissance detail, and heraldic and decorative details; a Jacobean west gallery. The outer south aisle, or Lane chapel, is treated exuberantly, particularly the devices on the parapet and buttresses, the running inscription describing its foundation, its beautiful fan-vaulted roof and the curious piers of its north arcade. There is a magnificent coloured and gilt wagon roof over the nave and chancel, a fine vaulted rood-screen, and a 'Golgotha', a large and curious carved wooden group of rocks, bones, skulls, which formerly stood on the rood-beam.

Tiverton District Council, 1978, Cullompton Conservation Area (Report - non-specific). SDV41951.

Whittemore, P. J., 1978 - 1981, The Lost Monumental Brasses of Devonshire., 248-50 (Article in Serial). SDV57403.

Lost monumental brasses discussed from remaining grave slabs. Other details: Plan.

Impett, R. M., 1981, Cullompton Church (Ground Photograph). SDV339249.

Gibb, J. H. P., 1985, The Fire of 1437 and the Rebuilding of Sherborne Abbey, 101-24 (Article in Serial). SDV33557.

Lane Aisle vault influenced by Sherborne Abbey.

Blaylock, S. R., 1986, A Survey of Greenway's Porch at St Peter's Church, Tiverton., 85-105 (Article in Serial). SDV57407.

External ornament of Lane's Aisle is influenced by Greenway's work at St Peter, Tiverton.

Department of Environment, 1986, Cullompton (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336339.

Parish church. Nave and north and south aisles possibly first half of the 15th century; Lane aisle (i.e. outer south aisle) begun in 1526 and building still in progress in 1552; west tower begun 1539 and building still in progress in 1545; church restored and the chancel rebuilt in 1849-51 by Edward Ashworth. Coursed rubble red sandstone and brecchia with Beerstone dressing. West tower, nave, north and south aisles, outer south aisle, south-west porch, chancel, south-east vestry.
Exterior: Tower of four stages, set-back buttresses with four set-offs, all with crouching animals and finials; battlemented parapet with quatrefoil panels, openwork pinnacles to corners, and also set half way along each side; all crocketted and finialled. Polygonal stair turett to north face. Pointed two-light belfry opening to all sides, pierced, with transom. two-light ringing-chamber opening to second stage, south. Much elaborate Beerstone detailing to the west show front; central panel abovefour-light Perpendicular west window; the sill to the panel is formed by the string course to the second stage; defaced Calvary with one smaller panel to either side containing St George and Edmund the Martyr respectively, all under nodding canopies; panels framed by foilated shafts with faces, knops and capitals, the detailing Renaissance in character. This front further enlivened with quatrefoil frieze to plinth and 1st stage; armorial panels flank west window (displaying the arms of England and of Bishop Veysey); hoodmould of west door formed by plinth string-course, the door surround with concave moulding bearing fleurons, and varied coloured stone voussoirs. 19th century gabled stone clock surround with pinnacles placed above Calvary panel. North side of tower with one armorial panel; two similar panels to south with a third showing the Annunciation below the ringing-chamber opening, much defaced. Legends to these panels obliterated, but they include the date of construction (1539). South side: battlemented porch to west end of inner north aisle, set back buttresses, quatrefoil panels to merlons, and quatrefoil frieze below; south doorway with fleurons to middle concave moulding, with a similar doorway to south aisle proper; parvise, with square-headed two-light window to south. Early 19th century iron gates. Lane aisle: five bays, battlemented with a frieze of quatrefoils (dated 1805); four-light Perpendicular windows with buttresses, three set-offs, between; the great six-light west window and the two to the west of the aisle are contemporary with the 16th century scheme, the others appear to have been reused from the old south aisle. The south front is adorned with motifs reflecting the source of John Lane's wealth; these have been much discussed and the problems resolved by Prof. Carus-Wilson (see reference below), and include cloth shears, and handles (the "figure-4" motif, a handframe set with teasels to the cloth), and boats. Polygonal stair turret to rood-screen door and aisle roof; priest's door. Five lead rainwater heads, one dated 1709, another 1810. Late-medieval south east vestry, with a two-light south window and a little square-headed east window with concave surround, stanchions and saddle bars, 20 leaded panes per light. Chancel, by Ashworth, set-back buttresses, Perpendicular east window of five lights; lancet and three-light side windows to sanctuary. North side: six bays, battlemented, four-light Perpendicular windows, one with a crenellated transom, perhaps marking a former chantry; polygonal screen stair-turret. Northwest doorway with fleurons to concave moulding.
Interior: nave and chancel of six bays with no structural division; conventional wavy moulding, varied capitals with foliage, faces and angels. Internal panelled buttressing to Lane aisle arcade with evidence (to the two eastermost bays) of former screens. All windows with internal nook shafts, except the three-light clerestory windows, depressed window arches and deep reveals. Medieval plasterwork survives in the north-east (Moore) chapel.
Roof: nave and chancel with elaborate celled wagon, four bays-each divided by transverse rib with foliated sides and soffit and central pendant, which spring from small hammerbeams that support large angels; panels to each bay with bosses at intersection of subordinate ribs, each panel with diagonal rib with fretted borders and small central bosses; panelled wall-plate with angel corbels. Much of the colour in the nave is probably 18th and early 19th century, but some of the medieval paintwork may survive; a reference to Ashworth regilding the chancel suggests that he retained the old roof, rather than construct a copy; above the screen is an arch-braced tie beam designed to support to rood, which judging by the size of the Golgotha (preserved at the rear of the church, and a unique survival) and the mortices on the rood-loft floor, must have filled the available space in between. Fillets have been inserted on the south side of the roof-beam to rectify outward lean of the south wall. North and south aisles: flat panelled ceilings, the ribs chamfered, with run-out stops, diagonal ribbing and central bosses to each panel. Some early colour survives throughout. Lane aisles: a five-bay stone form vault may be the result of a late change in plan after building operations were underway. A full technical description and appraisal appears in Leedy (see reference below). The original cranked timber collars above the vault survive intact.
Screens: rood screen: late 15th century with no Renaissance detailing; 11 bays with open tracery to each similar in design but not identical, to aisle window tracery. Coving complete with three tiers of foliage; brattishing of 1850 when the colouring renewed. Rood loft mortices for frontal and Golgotha (which itself supported Cross and the figures of Mary and John). South parclose: four bays with entrance under segmental arch, conventional Perpendicular tracery panels, wainscotting and a two-tier cornice. North parclose: to the More chantry chapel; an unusual design, four wide bays with very angular tracery made up of straight ribs and peg-like cusping; one foliage band to cornice with dragons to each end, with shield bearing angels forming a wide frieze above; cornice and frieze to either side of screen set at a 45 degree angle. The shields show More quartering various families; the armorial evidence suggests a late 16th century date but although of unusual profile the detailing of this parclose is entirely late-medieval in character. Wallpaintings: now covered, but disclosed and recorded by Ashworth in Transactions of the Exeter Diocesan Society, III (1849), plates XXXIII-XXXVII; they appear to have formed a remarkably complete set. West gallery: supported by five Ionic columns, the frontal with panels of paired round-headed arches, the side panel divided by Ionic or Doric pilasters, the central panel by Atlanter with Ionic capitals. Decorated frieze, with heads; decorative band below. A panel (south chancel aisle), possibly late 16th century, with Faith, Hope, Philip and Thomas each under round-headed arch.
Monuments: 14th century monument slab (in southwest porch) with badly worn foliated cross. Numerous floor slabs in More chantry (detailed descriptions in Cresswell, see reference below), and another, half obscured by 19th century seating, to John Lane at the east end of his aisle. Nave, south wall: mural monument to Francis Colman, Esq., died 1820, erected 1849 by I E Carew of London, moulded surrounds to two epitaph panels with palm swirls and heraldic device above. Some small, minor late 18th and early 19th century wall tablets; especially good is that to David Sweet, died 1807, urn and epitaph panel with cornice, set against a black marble cartouche (north aisle, north wall). Lane aisle, south wall: WWI memorial (under the Morris window), waxy red and white marble, three panels, the names of the dead to the centre, with a soldier and a parting from family scene occupying outer panels. Glass: nine good 19th and early 20th century windows, including a Morris & Co., 1904; a Drake Lane aisle south, 1882 (and probably Lane aisle east, 1877), and two which are probably Clayton & Bell (Lane aisle west, and south VIII).
References: Cullompton is generally regarded as one of the finest churches in the west country and has a considerable literature, of which this is a selection: various articles in Transactions of the Exeter Diocesan Society, III (1849); E S Chalk, "The Church of St Andrew, Cullompton, Trans.Devonshire Assoc., 42 (1910), 182-205; Beatrix Cresswell, typescripe volume on Deanery of Cullompton, West Country Studies Library; John Stabb, Some Old Devon Churches I, 44-5, plate 32; N Pevsner, SD, pp 96-88; E Carus-Wilson, "The Significance of the Secular Sculpture in the Lane Chapel, Cullompton; Medieval Archaeology, I (1957), 104-17 and end plates; W C Leedy, Fan Vaulting, A Study of Form, Technology and Meaning (1980), pp 157-8; Devon C19 Churches Project.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/GX, 14-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV57439.

Black, J., 1987, The Discovery of the Cullompton Church Decorations, 35-6 (Article in Serial). SDV57408.

Black reproduces a letter which appeared in the 1/1/1801 edition of the St James' Chronicle describing the discovery of wall paintings.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/KF, 9-9a (Aerial Photograph). SDV57441.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 303 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Griffith, F. M., 1991, DAP/UF, 10-15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV57442.

Pugsley, D., 1993, St. Andrew's Church, Cullompton (Pamphlet). SDV359366.

Guide book to church including details of the war memorial window, the wall paintings which are now covered over, Moores' Aisle, Lane's Aisle, the Golgotha, the Jacobean gallery and the waggon roof.

Diocesan Advisory Committee, 2003, St Andrew's Church, Cullompton: Statement of Significance (Report - non-specific). SDV319613.

Victorian alterations have clearly affected the interior of the church whilst generally leaving the 15th/16th century structure intact. Most prominently, the pews were removed and the entire church re-seated with uniform low box pews. A few of the earlier box pews and the squire's pew were placed in the North Morhays Chapel where they remain today.

Keystone Historic Buildings Consultants, 2004, A Conservation Plan for Tuckers Hall, Exeter, 10 (Report - non-specific). SDV319614.

The fan vaulted Lane aisle was erected in 1526 by a wool capitalist and decorated with symbols of the wool trade including carved angels holding cloth shears.

Green, T., 2006, St Andrew's Nursing Home, Pye Corner, Cullompton: Results of a Desk-based Assessment and Archaeological Evaluation (Report - Assessment). SDV337664.

The church at Cullompton replaced an earlier church in the 15th century. The dedication to St Andrew was granted in 1436.

Morton, R., 2007, Land at Station Road Cullompton, Devon. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for Tesco Stores Ltd, 10,13,17 (Report - Assessment). SDV338659.

The early medieval church of Cullompton is likely to have been on the same site as the present parish church, which is set in a square-shaped enclosured, possibly reflecting an earlier precinct boundary. It is possible that the church lay within a larger enclosure in the early medieval period.

Hood, A., 2007, Land at Willand Road, Cullompton: Archaeological Strip, Map and Sample: Post Excavation Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV340039.

Context One Archaeological Services, 2009, Land to the North of Tiverton Road, Cullompton, Devon. An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Geophysical Survey, 6 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV345067.

Tyler, K. + Valentin, J., 2010, New Community Centre, St Andrew's Parish Church, Cullompton (Report - Evaluation). SDV347294.

An estate map dating to 1633 shows the church precinct in its present form.

Morris, B., 2014, Land at Shortlands Lane Cullompton, Devon. Results of a Desk-Based Assessment and Archaeological Excavation, 15 (Report - Excavation). SDV359548.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV2576 - DAP/GX
• EDV2577 - DAP/KF
• EDV2578 - DAP/UF
• EDV2579 - Unnamed Event
• EDV4149 - St Andrew's Nursing Home, Pye Corner
• EDV4242 - Desk-based Assessment of Land at Station Road, Cullompton, Devon
• EDV4862 - Geophysical Survey North of Tiverton Road, Cullompton
• EDV5079 - Archaeological Trench Evaluation at the New Community Centre, St Andrew's Parish Church, Cullompton, Devon
• EDV6943 - Desk Based Appraisal and Excavation of Land off Shortlands Lane, Cullompton

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