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Summary

St Mary's parish church in East Worlington with 12th century origins & a 15th century chancel. The nave & tower were rebuilt in 1879

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1107334: CHURCH OF ST MARY

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5318
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS71SE/10
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

NMR, SS71SE7 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV59446.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 84 (Monograph). SDV336196.

The decorated arch of the Norman south doorway is noted.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 519 (Monograph). SDV17562.

East Worlington Parish Church, dedicated to St Mary. Rebuilt in 1879.

English Heritage, 1967, East Worlington (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV337830.

Church of St Mary the parish church of East Worlington. Exterior: squat 3-stage tower with battlements and false machicolations, semi-circular head west window with flanking shafts, bullseyes to ringing-chamber stage, semi-circular head bell openings, nook shafts, with louvres. 3-bay nave with 2 hook-shafted semi-circular head windows to the south, 3 15th century style 2-light square-headed windows to the north, (copies of earlier windows?). Chancel with a semi-circular head Norman lancet to the north, 2 cinquefoiled square-headed 15th century 2-light windows to the south, east window of the restoration with 13th century-type intersecting tracery (a copy of an earlier window?). Simple gabled porch, Norman inner doorway, the outer arch moulding with zig-zag rests on a beak-head to the left, 3 inner arch bands of saltaire crosses. Interior: with rough surface plastered walls with a stone-coloured colourwash, some scribing to resemble ashlar around the windows. Concrete, tile, and encaustic tile floors. Nave with simple 19th century arch-braced collar-beam roof on corbels, chancel under 19th century tie-beam roof. Neo-Norman tower and chancel arches. Most fittings remain from 1879 including simple stained pine pews, neo-Norman font with cover, pulpit, lectern, choir stalls, reader and altar rails. Elaborate wood panelled altar table may be slightly later. Good wall monument to chancel of 1668 to Bridget Colman, central inscription panel, below stage with flanking cherubs, achievement over. 4 early and mid 19th century wall monuments in Classical style. Plaque commemorating rebuilding. Stained glass to south chancel window. 15th century style, top light 15th century, remainder late 19th century work. Nave windows and windows under tower with cast-iron casements, diamond-paned lights, obscured glass. Charity plaque of 1834 under tower. Stuart Royal Arms in nave, 20th century overpainting. Source: Pevsner N., Buildings of England, North Devon, 1952; Hodgson Rev. H. J in Chulmleigh Deanery Parochial Magazine, March - June, 1927. Other details: LBS No 97426.

Department of Environment, 1987, East Worlington, 17 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV59442.

St Mary's parish church at East Worlington. 12th century origins, 15th century chancel; tower and nave completely rebuilt in 1879 by Clark of Newmarket for the 5th Earl of Portsmouth; nave 12th century doorway the only feature remaining from the earlier church; chancel also reskinned and reroofed in 1879. Snecked rubble; gabled slate roofs, coped verges. Crested clay ridges to nave and porch. Nave, chancel, west tower, south porch. Loose neo-Norman style, simple and on a very small scale, not typical of the 1870s. See DoE list for full details.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 350 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Eisel, J. C. + Eisel, M. P., 2006, The church of St Mary, East Worlington: A record of the bell frame and supporting timbers (Report - Survey). SDV337831.

The west tower was rebuilt in 1879 & consists of three external stages with battlemented parapets & strip pilasters on the corners of the middle stage. The belfry stage has louvred openings on each side. The three internal stages of the tower are accessible by ladders through trap doors. The tower contains six bells, four of which were cast by W Evans of Chepstow in the 18th century & two by Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel in the 20th century. The bell frame was built in 1880 by M Luxton of Winkleigh & remodelled in 1910 when two more bells were added. The bells & bell frame were in poor condition in 1971 had not being rung for a number of years. In 2006 a scheme of restoration had been agreed. Other details: Photographs included.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, 1107334 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

EAST WORLINGTON EAST WORLINGTON SS 71 SE 8/21 Church of St Mary 20.2.67 GV II Parish Church. C12 origins, C15 chancel; tower and nave completely rebuilt 1879 by Clark of Newmarket for the 5th Earl of Portsmouth; nave C12 doorway the only feature remaining from the earlier church; chancel also reskinned and reroofed in 1879. Built by Mr Selly of Witheridge. Local stone from the Coombe Quarry, now disused on the road to Witheridge, some Bathstone dressings. Snecked rubble; gabled slate roofs, coped verges, crested clay ridges to nave and porch. Plan: nave, chancel, west tower, south porch. Loose neo-Norman style, simple and on a very small scale, not typical of the 1870's. Exterior: squat 3-stage tower with battlements and false machicolations, semi- circular head west window with flanking shafts, bullseyes to ringing-chamber stage, semi-circular head bell openings, nook shafts, with louvres. 3-bay nave with 2 hook-shafted semi-circular head windows to the south, 3 C15 style 2-light square- headed windows to the north, (copies of earlier windows?). Chancel with a semi- circular head Norman lancet to the north, 2 cinquefoiled square-headed C15 2-light windows to the south, east window of the restoration with C13-type intersecting tracery (a copy of an earlier window?). Simple gabled porch, Norman inner doorway, the outer arch moulding with zig-zag rests on a beak-head to the left, 3 inner arch bands of saltaire crosses. Interior: with rough surface plastered walls with a stone-coloured colourwash, some scribing to resemble ashlar around the windows. Concrete, tile, and encaustic tile floors. Nave with simple C19 arch-braced collar-beam roof on corbels, chancel under C19 tie-beam roof. Neo-Norman tower and chancel arches. Most fittings remain from 1879 including simple stained pine pews, neo-Norman font with cover, pulpit, lectern, choir stalls, reader and altar rails. Elaborate wood panelled altar table may be slightly later. Good wall monument to chancel of 1668 to Bridget Colman, central inscription panel, below stage with flanking cherubs, achievement over. 4 early and mid C19 wall monuments in Classical style. Plaque commemorating (sic) rebuilding. Stained glass to south chancel window. C15 style, top light C15, remainder late C19 work. Nave windows and windows under tower with cast-iron casements, diamond-paned lights, obscured glass. Charity plaque of 1834 under tower. Stuart Royal Arms in nave, C20 overpainting. Source: Pevsner N., Buildings of England, North Devon, 1952; Hodgson Rev. H. J in Chulmleigh Deanery Parochial Magazine, March - June, 1927.
Date first listed: 20th February 1967.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4155 - St Mary's Church Bell Frame Survey

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