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Summary

St Michael's parish church at Shebbear with a Norman nave and chancel and later alterations. The church was renovated in the 19th century

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1309558: CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5339
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS40NW/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARISH CHURCH (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

NMR, SS40NW15 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV6097.

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Watkin, H. R., 1926 - 1927, William Briwer, 194 (Article in Serial). SDV16799.

William Briwer, died 1226, gave Shebbear church to Torre Abbey.

Oliver, B. W., 1948, Notes on Shebbear and Durpley Castle, 159-161 (Article in Serial). SDV6089.

Description of church, memorials and effigies and other furnishings including two piscinas and a coat of arms.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 474 (Monograph). SDV17562.

St. Michael. Some Norman remains including good south doorway circa 1180. Nave and chancel early 14th century but window tracery has been restored. Old chancel screen removed 1812, modern replacement. Jacobean pulpit and reading desk.

Henry, F. + Zarnecki, G., 1957 - 1958, Romanesque Arches Decorated with Human and Animal Heads, 1-34 (Article in Serial). SDV6088.

The parish church at Shebbear is listed as displaying an example of an arch with carved human or animal heads.

English Heritage, 1960, Shebbear (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV338111.

Church of St Michael parish church. Main periods of construction are Norman, 14th & 15th centuries, renovated 1875-92. Rubble walls, rendered to tower and west end. Gable-ended slate roofs. Plan: nave, chancel, south aisle and chapel west tower and south porch. Nave & chancel date to Norman period, south aisle, porch and probably tower added in 14th century, chancel rebuilt in 15th century. Exterior: 2 stage battlemented west tower with obelisk finials and set-back buttresss. Inserted 19th century 2-centred doorway on south wall. Cinquefoiled belfry lights & small square-headed light on south wall. North wall of nave has an early 14th century 3-light window with intersecting tracery towards its west end. The other 2 windows are larger 19th century copies with hoodmoulds. Chancel has 15th century style square-headed north window with cinquefoiled lights. Gable-ended 19th century vestry & brick lean-to built out from north chancel wall. Both east windows are 19th century of 2-lights in Decorated and Perpendicular styles. The south chapel projects slightly from the aisle with a 3-light 15th century style cinquefoiled window and rebuilt 2-centred priest's doorway. The 5 aisle windows are all 19th century in the Decorated style apart from the most westerly which is identical to the 19th century windows on the north wall. Single storey gabled porch has pointed arch doorway with hollow and roll moulded & double chamfered outer and inner arches. Interior: very fine Norman south doorway which has a 2-centred arched head with 3 orders of billet, beak-head & zig-zag mouldings & nook-shafts with cushion capitals. Porch contains remains of a trefoil-headed holy water stoup. 14th century arcade to south aisle of 4 bays with pointed chamfered arches springing from square chamfered piers with no capitals. At the east to end, between the chancel & the chapel are 2 15th cnetury 4-centred arches on Pevsner A-type piers. Modern plastered chancel arch & between aisle and chapel. Pointed low massive tower arch. Internal walls are rendered. On north side of chancel is narrow 2-centre arched doorway. Ogee-headed piscina in south wall. Small piscina on east pier of nave. Wagon roofs to nave, chancel & chapel restored in 1909 retaining old timbers and renewing bosses, the chancel preserves its old carved wall-plate. Rood screen removed 1815. Very good Jacobean 5-side pulpit which is richly carved - each side having 3 arcaded panels with strapwork motif at the top and robust carved figures at each corner. The thistles and roses motif on the front panel indicates that it was not made until James's I time. The lectern displays the same grotesque figures as the pulpit & the reading desk may incorporate some of the work from the screen. Built low into the south wall is the medieval stone effigy of a lady reputed to be the "Lady of Ladford" responsible for building the aisle. She has a rosary hanging from one wrist & wears a gown with a pleated collar & a flowing widow's veil the style of costume suggests a date of 1350 - 1450. 2 17th century wall memorials survive on the north chancel wall. One dated 1692 has a slate plaque with high relief plaster surround and scrolled pediment with skulls. The other is to William Battishill, vicar, buried 1666 & is of slate with a nowy head which is carved with a coat of arms & 2 skulls & has a decorative border. Several 19th century marble wall memorials. 19th or early 20th century octagonal font. This church preserves some very early fabric with a notable Norman doorway; its subsequent development is interesting & good internal features from various periods survive. Other details: LBS No 91055.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/JL 12, JL 12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV6099.

Department of Environment, 1988, Shebbear, 47 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV6091.

Church of St. Michael. Main periods of construction are Norman, c14 and c15, renovated 1875-92. Rubble walls, rendered to tower and west end. Gable-ended slate roofs. Nave, chancel, south aisle and chapel west tower and south porch. Nave and chancel date to Norman period, south aisle, porch and probably tower added in c14, chancel rebuilt in c15. Two stage battlemented west tower with obelisk finials and set-back buttresses. This church preserves some very early fabric with a notable Norman doorway; good internal features from various periods survive. See DoE list for full details.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 724 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/TC 3-4, TC 3, 4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV6100.

Exeter Archaeology, 2006, Archaeological assessment of land at the rear of Barn Close, Shebbear, 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV338106.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4196 - Archaeological Assessment at Barn Close, Shebbear

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