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Summary

Church of St Augustine, 13th century but heavily remodelled in late 15th or early 16th century. Nave and chancel refenestrated in 19th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1107743: CHURCH OF ST AUGUSTINE

Other References/Statuses

• Church of England HER: 5222
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS53NW/5
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 98435
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS53NW 10

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Swete, R. J. (Revd), 564M/13/7: Illustrations (Record Office Collection). SDV342150.

Rose-Troup, F., 1920 - 1921, Heanton Punchardon, 197 (Article in Serial). SDV342147.

Fire resulted from a feud involving the Bishop of Exeter.

R. B. M., 1920 - 1921, Heanton Punchardon, 97 (Article in Serial). SDV342151.

Fire in Heanton church in about 1285 referred to. A number of people were charged with arson and robbery.

Unknown, 1938, Proceedings at the 77th Annual Meeting held at Barnstaple, 14 (Article in Serial). SDV83612.

Reference to a planned visit to the grave of Edward Capern at Heanton Punchardon, abandoned due to bad weather.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 407 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Church. Almost entirely 15th to early 16th century in date. Called St. Augustine.

Russell, P., 1955, Fire Beacons in Devon, 292 (Article in Serial). SDV336138.

An ancient coastal light listed in Bishop Stafford's register in 1416 previously occupied this site.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978 - 1981, SS53NW10 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV342149.

An ancient coastal light listed by Bishop Staford in 1416 stood at the seaward end of the ridge which dominates the Taw estuary from the north. Site now occupied by St Augustine's Church.

Department of Environment, 1985, Heanton Punchardon, 95-6 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV86763.

Parish Church, 13th century and later. Tower and aisle of coursed dressed stone with some laced stone in 2nd tower stage. Nave, chancel, south and north porches of random rubble. Slate roofs with 19th century crested ridge tiles. Nave and chancel probably incorporate earlier fabric but both heavily remodelled in late 15th/early 16th century when west tower and north aisle were added. Windows in north aisle suggest possibly early 17th century refenestration and 1675 datestone below east window may indicate rebuilding of gable end wall of chancel. North aisle arcade rebuilt and piers remodelled in 18th century or early 19th century. Nave and chancel refenestrated in 19th century. West tower of 3 stages with setback buttresses. Embattled parapet with crocketted corner pinnacles. Internal stair turret on north side with 7 openings all slits except third from ground which is a quatrefoil panel. Blind quatrefoil panels in first stage of tower on north, south and west walls, those to west and south contain shields. Large pointed-arched bell-openings on all sides of 3 lights with cusped and traceried heads with hoodmoulds. Single light bell-opening with ferrimentor and flat hoodmould in second stage of east wall, 3-light traceried west window with hollow-chamfered surround above Tudor-arched west doorway with triple hollow chamfered surround and hoodmould. North porch doorway with plain pointed arch. Tudor-arched north doorway with moulded surround. Four 3-light cavetto-mullion windows to north aisle with depressed arches and hoodmoulds with labell stops. 2-light transomed vestry window with hoodmould. 3-light east window, partially recut and inserted in former larger opening. Small datestone WM 1675 below. Nineteenth century fenestration on south side, pointed arches to the nave, square-headed to chancel. Priests door with large dressed jamb stones and alternating stone and brick voussoirs. Plain rubble south porch doorway with slate sundial over dated 1795 by Jn and Thos Berry. Undecorated barrel ceiling. Double chamfered south doorway, probably 13th century with ancient pointed arch ledged plank door.
Interior: Late 18th/early 19th century. Arcade of 5 bays with depressed arches supported on wave-moulded piers with thin cornices unusually set square rather than diagonally. Tall, double, hollow chamfered west tower arch with quatrefoil panel inset in wall to right. Aisle and nave have fine ceiled waggon roofs, aisle roof of smaller panels, each roof with variously carved bosses in the intersections of the ribs and longitudinal members. 4-centred arch vestry door with moulded surround and ancient door inserted in larger pointed arch opening with large rough keystone. Many walls and reveals subjected to 20th century replastering. Perp-screen to chancel with small angels carrying shields in the uprights of Pevsner 'A' type tracery, heavily restored in late 19th century, the coving almost entirely replaced. Twentieth century screen to north aisle. Octagonal stone font with faceted base to bowl supported on squat central column and 4 corner colonettes on square base. Fittings include 2 late 16th or early l7th century chairs in sanctuary with carved backs and 20th century pews.
Monuments: Very fine early 16th century table top tomb to Richard Coffin (died 1523) in north chancel wall. Ornate Tudor arch to canopy of floriated pendants and intermediate pierced trefoils supported on stopped and chamfered jambs, the attached shafts cut down at top. Initials of R.C. in each of the foliated spandrels surmounted by demi-angel bearing shield in centre of foliated frieze with short fleur-de-lis bars to headrail. Base of 2 tiers of 6 quatrefoil panels with square linen-fold centres to the upper tier and floriated centres below. Above tomb 2 wall monuments to members of Ballyman family, both with ancient colour decoration. That to left dated 1695 with scalloped base above winged and wreathed skull. Cherubs heads to each side of oval medallion and 2 above in draped and palmette surround. That to right has oval medallion with cherubs heads over and putti each side reclining on plinth with winged cherubs bust between the console. Painted Royal Arms of George III over south door. 4 good marble wall monuments to Bassets of Heanton Court in family chapel in north aisle, all with some ancient colour decoration. Elizabeth Basset (died 1635). Praying female figure, kneeling, in high relief under shoulder-headed arch with flanking Ionic colonnettes with shields above and inscription below: "Should monuments Goe by merit, then Surely Thine with Pretious Stone and Orient Pearls should shine. But since thy world of worthy world doth know this marble stone may serve thy name to show." John Basset (died 1660) Ionic colonnetes supporting scrolled pedmont. Arthur Basset (died 1672) Corinthian Colonettes with broken pediment and cherubs flanking Classical urn. Trophied surround to oval medallion supported on cherub-headed consoles. John Basset (died 1686). Cherubs heads in foliated surround to oval medallion with segmental pediment with central shield and reclining putti to each side. Skull and flanking cherubs in base. Belfry not inspected Other details: LBS 98435.

Wessex Archaeology, 2007, RMB Chivenor Flood Defence Scheme Barnstaple, Devon: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment, 9 (Report - Assessment). SDV342125.

Other details: WA 23.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4490 - RMB Chivenor Flood Defence Scheme Barnstaple, Devon: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment

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