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Summary

The church is believed to date to the 14th century with an early 16th century tower which was largely rebuilt circa 1702 after collapsing on the nave. The chancel was rebuilt circa 1853 and the nave and north aisle in 1861. A watching brief undertaken during the demolition of the boiler house in preparation for the construction of anew extension for the church recovered a relatively large quantity of domestic material of 18th and 19th century date. It is suggested that this may have corresponded with a period of decline for the church and the possibility that the rector was residing in part of the church. It is further suggested that this may have been during the incumbency of William Gimingham (1818-1838).

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1325277: CHURCH OF ST PETER

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5273
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS63NW/19
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Early Medieval to XXI - 1066 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177625.

West tower has diagonal buttresses only at foot. North chancel chapel possibly 14th century. Nave and aisle post-medieval. A rebuilding in 1702-1703 is recorded. Good collection of church plate (pevsner).

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV327105.

Church of st. Peter, 14th century fabric to north chancel chapel. Early 16th century tower largely rebuilt in early 19th century after collapsing on nave. Chancel rebuilt 1853, nave and north aisle rebuilt c 1861 by j. Hayward. Stone rubble with ashlar dressings. Slate roofs with apex crosses to gable copings. Coped gable ends to chancel and north aisle. Nave, west tower, chancel north aisle. Tower of 3 stages and crenellated parapet (doe).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV335.

Bratton fleming parish church, dedicated to st. Peter. Rebuilt between 1885 and 1861. Contains interesting monument to bartholomew wortley (hoskins).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV59602.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)345-346.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV59603.

Pevsner, n. /the buildings of england: north devon/(1952)59.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV59604.

Doe/hhr:bratton fleming/(15/3/1986)39.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV59605.

Des=os 6" (1905)10sw.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV59606.

Des=dean milles parochial survey/questionnaire/(1747-62)/summary (m. Dodd,2003)/in smr.

DEAN MILLES, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99074.

Respondent to dean milles questionnaire noted rebuilding in 1703 and 60 ft tower at west end (dean milles).

Unknown, 2009, The Church of St. Peter, Bratton Fleming, Devon. A Study of the Interior for the Parochial Church Council (Report - non-specific). SDV344613.

Unknown, 2009, The Church of St. Peter, Bratton Fleming, Devon. A Study of the Interior for the Parochial Church Council, 34 (Report - non-specific). SDV344613.

The nave benches, choir stalls, pulpit and west gallery together form a very coherent scheme, understood to date from 1854 to 1861. With the open roofs of the church, at least two known to have been designed by Hayward, and possibly the chancel roof also, they make up a church interior influenced by the High Church movement, and contribute to an attractive and very complet 'woody' interior churchscape, where the woodwork at ground level is a nice match for the open roofs.
It is a rarity to find an Anglican interior with fittings, more or less single phase, as unaltered as these. The fittings are of interest not only because they are so complete, but also because they can be identified as a workmanlike and thoughtful village church scheme, and make a valuable contribution to our understanding of workaday Victorian church interiors.

Walls, S., 2011, Archaeological Watching Brief During the Demolition of the Boiler House and Construction of a New Extension and Services at St. Peters Church (Report - Watching Brief). SDV348043.

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken during the demolition of the boiler house at St. Peters Church, the cutting of an access route for machinery through the hedgebank to the north and the construction of a new extension and services.
The church is believed to date to the 14th century with an early 16th century tower which was largely rebuilt circa 1702 after collapsing on the nave. The chancel was rebuilt circa 1853 and the nave and north aisle in 1861. A coal shed was added in 1910 to the north side of the tower to serve the coal stoves that had originally been installed in 1880 and replaced in 1891. A new heating system was installed in 1919 the boiler for which was housed in a lean-to structure to the north of the coal store. The boiler house and coal store are constructed of roughly coursed dressed stone with simple mono pitch slate roofs. The former store had a doorway in its west elevation and also in its north elevation through to the boiler house which was blocked in brick. The floor of the boiler room was sunk 0.55 metres below the store and was accessed via a corner stair leading from the blocked opening and entrance door in its west elevation. There was also a chimney on the exterior of the west elevation.
A large architectural fragment recovered from the bank probably dates from the rebuilding of the church in the mid 19th century. A sherd of 17th century Sgraffito Ware was also recovered from the bank. Finds on the site of the extension include, not surprisingly, human bone but also a quantity of predominently 18th century domestic material. These finds appear to coincide with a period of decline and that possibly the rector was residing in part of the church at that time. It is suggested that this may have been during the incumbency of William Gimingham (1818-1838) who was apparently 'not able to keep himself, let alone his church'. All fragments of human bone were reinterred in the churchyard.

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

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV5482 - POT (XVII - 1601 AD to 1700 AD)
• FDV5481 - POT (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV4705 - Interior Study of St. Peter's Church
• EDV5479 - Watching Brief at St. Peters Church, Bratton Flemming

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