Description

SX 45 SW MAKER-WITH-RAME RAME

8/232 Church of St. Germanus

23.1.68
GV I

Parish Church. Consecrated 1259 by Bishop Walter de Bronescombe, probably on earlier
foundations, C13 work includes the spire and the upper part of the tower, probably
also the north wall of the chancel and the north transept. Rededicated 1321, by
which time the south transept was also built (later replaced by south aisle) and
tower arch. Late C15 enlargement including south aisle and south arcade, chancel
east window, north window of north transept and extension of rood loft across south
aisle. South windows of south aisle possibly late C15/early C16. Restoration of
1845 and 1885, at latter time the Norman tympanum was discovered and re-set in west
wall of south aisle, and re-roofing. Slatestone rubble with granite dressings, C19
slate roof with crested ridge tiles.
West tower, nave and chancel in one. South aisle with south chapel in one, north
porch, north transept and north vestry. C15 work in Perpendicular style.
Tower in one stage, is unbuttressed and has a long lancet bell-opening to each side
with slate louvres and relieving arch, lower trefoil-headed west lancet, broach spire
with gabled lancets and weathervane.
Nave and chancel in one, with raised coped verges in rubble to gable end and cross
finial, nave has a north window at west end with pointed arch, 2 lights with cusped
lancets, Y-tracery and hood mould. Chancel has north lancet to east of transept and
slight Perpendicular east window, with 4-centred arched head, trefoil heads to
lights and upper tracery, hood mould; straight joint to chapel to south.
South aisle and south chapel in one. At south side, 2 windows to aisle and one to
chapel, all of 3 lights, with 2-centred arched hollow-chamfered lights with hood
mould over flat head; 2nd bay from left has segmental-headed door with hollow-
chamfered and step-stopped surround, C19 double doors. Projecting rood stair with
pitched roof at junction between aisle and chapel, with blocked segmental-headed door
to right of stair. West end of aisle has no windows, straight joint to nave. East
end of chapel has 3-light window as on chancel, with stone raised coped verges and
cross finial to gable end.
Small gabled north porch has segmental-headed outer opening, appears to be C19
rebuilding. c19 scissors truss roof with tall pointed arched inner doorway with C19
door with re-used strap hinges.
North transept has rubble coped verges and cross finial. 3-light window to north,
as on chancel east end; the east window is a triple lancet with interesting tracery,
pointed arch overall and relieving arch.
Gabled north vestry has rubble verges and gable end stack in brick, single chamfered
light to east.
Interior Tower has pointed arched plain granite doorway to nave, with tall pointed
rubble arch above. Nave and north transept roofed in one, a C19 wagon roof of 9 bays
to nave, continuous to chancel, with moulded ribs and bosses, wide bay with diagonal
ribs at meeting between transept and nave. Nave has chamfered rere-arch to north
window. Over the pier between the chancel and the south chapel, a passage opening
for the rood loft, with socket for beam to north. Chancel has trefoil-headed piscina
in south wall, pointed arched chamfered door to north vestry and former external
window to right of this door, a lancet with a triangular rere-arch. 5 bay arcade
between nave/chancel and south aisle/chapel, piers with shaft at each corner and
convex moulding between, with 4-centred arches of 2 chamfered orders, largely
restored. The south aisle and chapel have continuous roof of C15, 11 bay wagon roof
with carved wall-plate with angels missing at base of ribs, carved ribs with bosses
(some missing), one row of purlins and ridge purlin. The aisle has door and upper
opening to rood stair, Norman tympanum re-set on west wall, decorated with 3 circles
with 4-spoked wheel, 4-petalled flower and saltire cross motifs. The chapel has a
trefoil-headed piscina in south wall. The north transept has a squint to chancel,
trefoil-headed piscina in east wall.
Fittings Font in nave, C14, octagonal, set on round stone at base, possibly Norman.
5 pews with carved bench ends in south aisle and one in nave, of late C15/early C16
with carved bench ends in tracery patterns. Late C19 panelled organ loft at west end
of nave. Pillar supporting almsbox in south chapel, dated 1633, fluted, with cable
moulded ring and plain capital; 2 balusters of similar design as altar rail. Early
C19 hatchment in nave recording benefactions. Screen by Herbert Read of Exeter, c.
1930.
C17 ledger stones in nave and south aisle. In north transept, monument with slate
inscription panel in bolection-moulded surround, cornice and steep pediment over with
shield and 3 roundels in tympanum, skull at apex, to Mary Ashton 1664 and other
members of the family. Monument on plinth with acanthus corbels, central head of
cherub with wings, central black oval cartouche with cherub to top and skull with
crossed bones below, wreath of bay leaves, Corinthian columns to sides, frieze and
entablature, to Roger Ashton, 1677. In south chapel, oval marble tablet on slate
ground, to Stephen Edwards, 1797. Baroque monument on plinth with corbels and
scrolled apron, rectangular inscription panel with Ionic column left and right,
frieze with grotesque mask over each column and central cherub, cornice broken
forward to sides with central shield and helm and shields to sides at top, to John
Battersby, 1672.
All C19 lattice glazing except chancel east window with C19 stained glass in memory
of Parson Key and transept east window with stained glass of 1917.
(Sources: Radcliffe, E.: Buildings of England: Cornwall 1970).

Listing NGR: SX4262649150

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Germanus at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17529506

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)