Church of All Saints Including Fishacre Tomb Adjoining Transept (Formerly Listed Under Parish of Moreleigh), Halwell and Moreleigh, Devon

Description

HALWELL

SX75SE MORELEIGH
9/334 Church of All Saints
including Fishacre
9.2.61 tomb adjoining
transept (formerly
listed under Parish
of Moreleigh)

GV I

Parish church before Moreleigh was incorporated into Halwell parish. C12
and/or early C13 fabric in nave and chancel; late C13 south transept;
probably early C14 west tower and alterations; C15 south aisle; C17 porch;
restored in 1877, 1880, 1898 and 1904. Shale rubble with some quartz and
local limestone; windows and dressings of Beerstone, granite and other
igneous stone. Slate roofs.
Plan: Nave and chancel in one, south transept, narrow south aisle, west
tower and south porch.
Development: The font is the evidence of the existence of a church on the
site in the C12 and there are records of a rector at Moreleigh in 1264.
This was probably a small church of only a nave and chancel. In circa
1279 St Peter de Fishacre who owned both Moreleigh and Woodleigh was
ordered by the Pope to build a church at Moreleigh as a penalty for
having killed the parson of Woodleigh in a quarrel over tithes. Although
he may have rebuilt the whole church it is more likely that only the south
transept which is late C13 was added by him. On the evidence of the
chancel windows work was carried out in the early C14 when the west tower
was probably added. In the C15 the narrow south aisle was built, the east
bay of its 3-bay arcade replacing the transept arch. The tower may have
also been heightened or the top stage rebuilt in the C15. In the C17 the
south porch was added and the nave and chancel ceiled if not entirely re-
roofed. All that remains of C18 work is the Royal Arms of 1714 and an C18
pulpit, although Davidson in 1842 describes a west gallery as modern. The
church was restored in 1877, 1880 and again more thorough in 1898. In 1904
the tower was repaired when the top courses and parapets were rebuilt. Also
in 1904 scripts were painted on the internal walls. Further repairs were
carried out in 1975.
Exterior: The chancel south wall has 2 early C14 2-centred arch 2-light
Beerstone windows with quatrefoil tracery and cusped lights, the sill of
the right hand (east) window is higher. The 2 windows on the north side of
the chancel have chamfered frames and were probably similar. The 3-light
east window of the chancel is late C19 in decorated style with geometric
tracery. The north side of the nave has a large C16 (or possibly early
C17) arched perpendicular windows with a hoodmould and 3-centred arched
heads to the lights. Two very large buttresses with set offs on the north
wall of the nave and chancel. There are said to be traces of the rood
stair turret on the north side (Cresswell).
The unbuttressed west tower has a slight batter; on the south side only
of the ringing stage plain rectangular opening; flat headed bell-
openings each with 2 round headed lights with slate louvres, the west
bell opening has been blocked. The tower seems to have been rebuilt or
heightened above the bell-openings and the battements have moulded coping
and-moulded string below. There is no west doorway; a west window above
similar to the bell-openings but taller. The tower has an internal stair
turret on the north west corner with window slits on the west site.
The south transept has a late C13 2-centred and 3-light wast window with
inter-secting perpendicular tracery and a C15 3-light 2-centred arch 3-
light east window cusped perpendicular tracery and hoodmould. Below the
cill of the south window the projecting effigy niche and tomb of Sir
Peter de Fishacre who was refused intombment inside the church. In the
gable of the transept a slate sundial with a shaped head dated 1686.
The south aisle retains its chamfered stone wall plate and a small west
window with 2 round-arched lights and a flat head, above which the west
end wall is slate hung. The south window of the south aisle retains its
hoodmould and frame but the mullions and tracery have been entirely
replaced in C16 style Perpendicular. The north doorway has a simple
chamfered 2-centred arch and a late C19 studded plank with ornate wrought
iron hinges. The C17 south porch is gabled and has an unmoulded round
slate arch; the slate roof has C17 crested ridge tiles, the tile over the
gable has a finial (a rare survival). Inside the porch are shallow stone
seats either side and a C17 morticed collar rafter roof with nailed
chamfered arch braces and a moulded wooden wall plate. The outer
doorway of the porch has a C19 wooden slatted gate with C20 hardboard
applied.
Interior: The internal walls have been rendered but leaving the hollow-
chamfered rear arches of the windows exposed. According to Kellys
Directory some mural paintings existed but this may refer to the painted
scripts of 1904. The tower arch is unmoulded and rendered. The 3-bay
south arcase continues across the transept, the east bay replacing the
transept arch; the granite arcade has Pevsner A-type piers with hollows
alternating with 4 shafts, only the shafts having capitals which are
crudely moulded; the bases are integrally moulded; the 2-centred arches
have double chamfers. The narrow aisle roof is C15 and is ceiled between
moulded ribs which have carved feet and carved bosses at the intersections;
the moulded wall plate is jettied into the trancept on a moulded timber
corbel to carry the last rib of the aisle roof.
The nave and chancel are in one; over the chancel and east bay of the nave
there is a fine C17 plaster barrel vaulted ceiling with moulded transverse,
longitudinal and diagonal ribs and a moulded wall plate; over the rest
of the nave the ribbed plaster ceiling and roof is C20; the chancel ceiling
may conceal a roof structure earlier than C17.
In the tower the floors and bellframe have been replaced the 3 C15 bells
have legends in Old English.
On the north side of the chancel a recess which may be an Easter Sepulchure
has a double chamfered depressed 2-centred arch with pyramid stops. A
similar but more richly moulded recess at the south end of the transept has
a rectan-gular panel below; it projects outside and is the tomb of Sir
Peter
de Fishacre.
Furnishings: The C12 font has a round bowl with a carved plaited band; the
C13 base has a water-holding moulding and was designed for a stern and 4
shafts which have been renewed.
The reader's desk is made up from a section of wainscot of the C15 rood
screen which is ornately carved and recently painted. C18 hexagonal
pulpit has panelled sides and a moulded conrice which breaks forwards over
the corner pilasters; over the cornice a shaped lecturn; and a fine
sounding board above with a similar but large cornice with a reeded frieze
and a tented ribbed canopy with a urn-shaped finial.
The late C19 benches appear to have been made from earlier panelled box
pews and some of these have since been replaced by late C20 chairs. The
late C19 altar rail has wrought iron stanchions and a moulded wooden rail
A small late C17 table has turned legs and moulded stretchers, situated
next to the font in the south aisle.
There are several slate and local marble ledger stones of the C17, C18 and
C19 in the east end of the nave and in the aisle. The only wall monument
is C20.
Royal Arms of Queen Anne dated 1714; painted on boards in a moulded frame
with a shouldered triangular head, probably originally designed to have
pinnacles.
Circa 1870s leaded glass, clear but with stained glass margins.
Source: B F Cresswell, Notes on Devon Churches, Deanery of Totnes.

Listing NGR: SX7612652582

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