Description

LYNTON AND LYNMOUTH

SS7149 WATERSMEET ROAD, Lynmouth
858-1/4/95 (East side)
Church of St John the Baptist

GV II

Anglican parish church. Foundation stone laid 1869, finished
1870 at cost of »1700. By E Dolby (of Abingdon); N aisle
enlarged 1908, cost »600, and tower added 1921, cost »600.
Rubble, later sections squared and snecked, ashlar dressings
and detail, slate roofs.
PLAN: nave with bellcote over W gable, S porch, apsidal
chancel, wide gabled N aisle with low tower at E end. In Early
English style with some plate tracery lights.
EXTERIOR: the nave has a thin saddle-backed bellcote with 2
openings under a blind oculus. This is flush with the main
gable which has a quatrefoiled plate rose window set flush
above an arcade of 5 arches with pointed arches in voussoirs
in 3 coloured stones, on slender red sandstone shafts to a
full-width weathered cill, and covering 3 lancets. To each
side a deep square buttress with broad offsets. To right is
the aisle gable of almost equal height and width, with a
2-light plate tracery window under a drip course; low left is
a plank door on strap hinges. Both gables are coped.
The S front has 3 paired lancets with plate tracery containing
3:4:3-foil oculi, under a drip-course continued as a string
course at springing level. Set back at the right-hand end is
the square tower, with a large 2-light casement with
drip-course immediately below the crenellated parapet, and a
smaller casement below. To the right is a square buttress with
offsets.
The tower, with similar fenestration to the E, but a door to
an escape stair at the mid level, partly covers the E gable to
the aisle, with a quatrefoil oculus. The N front has a high
gabled entrance porch over a chamfered pointed opening, and
with coping. The inner plank door is on decorative strap
hinges in a broad chamfered pointed arch and shafts with crude
capitals. There are 2 windows as to the S, and 3 deep square
buttresses with offsets and plinth. On this side are the
original square hopper-heads and downpipes. To the left,
slightly set in, is the apse, with 1:1:2 lancets, with head
stops to the drip course, above a cill band, and with a high
plinth. At a lower level is the vestry, following the apse
curve, and abutting an external iron staircase to the E side
of the tower; small double lancet window to N, with chamfered
edges and incised cross above.
INTERIOR: the nave has a trussed rafter roof, on unplastered
walls, with chamfered rere-arches and flat cills, all on a
floor in small square tiles. A 3-bay arcade has circular
columns to square bases and broad square abaci on stylised
scrolled leaf capitals. The arches are chamfered to a broad
flat intrados, with continuous hoodmould. The chancel, with
plain arch to flat intrados and roll-mould edges, is on a
total of 5 steps, and has coursed and banded stone to a
pointed barrel vault, and apse with chamfered ribs on simple
corbels, with a moulded string. The cill-mould is continued as
a string course. To the right are 3 sedilia and a piscina in
stone, and the organ in an arch.
The N aisle, which is as wide as the nave, was enlarged in
1908, and this is reflected in the floor, which is part tile
and part wood. It has a roof and rere arches as the nave, and
a door at each end. Above the arcade are 6 corbels, possibly
remaining from the original roof structure.
FITTINGS: hexagonal stone pulpit with cusped panels containing
fine carved detail; brass eagle lectern of 1895; low
embellished font bowl on free-standing Purbeck shafts. The
carved oak choir stalls have a hint of Art Nouveau, and there
is a carved wood altar behind a simple brass rail. There is
stained glass in the apse only; one of the original lancets is
now blocked by the later tower.
(Allen NV: Churches and Chapels of Exmoor: Dulverton: 1974-:
62).

Listing NGR: SS7244749377

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26496905

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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