Description

BRENDON ROAD
1.
5366
Parish church of
St Decuman
ST 0642 3/1 12.6.50
I GV

2.
C13 Chancel, otherwise mainly C15. Stands back from Brendon Road on a prominent site
overlooking the town. Restored and reseated by J P St Aubyn in 1886-91, further
internal alterations in 1896 when the Caen stone reredos erected. Local grey
squared random stonework, Chancel rendered. Slate roofs with ridge tiles. Church
consists of tower, Chancel, nave of 3 bays, aisles, 2 side chapels and south porch.
West tower in 3 stages, set-back buttresses, higher stair turret, battlements.
Four-light west window, 3-light bell openings with transom and tracery. Small
statue in niche on south side of tower probably depicting St Decuman. North aisle
embattled with quatrefoils in the crenelations, embattled rood stair turret, four
3-light windows. East window, 3-light with bar tracery. South aisle has four
3-light windows with tracery. South porch with C15 doorway, floor in chessboard
pattern of slates set on edge. Interior has finely carved wagon-roofs with leaftrail
carving running along wall plates relieved by array of shield bearing angels. Angels
with emblems of the passion to south aisle roof. Decorated roof bosses. Carved oak
rood screen with 4-light divisions, main arches divided into 2-light sub-arches.
Jacobean oak pulpit with tester, Wyndham family pew with finely carved foliage and
date 1688. Wyndham Chapel at east end of north aisle contains good C16 and C17
family memorials. C15 octagonal font, plain bowl with narrow moulding above and
below supported on carved angels, stem ornamented with panels. Late medieval
encaustic tiles to chancel floor relaid in 1896, others set in a frame on north
aisle wall.
Large ledgerstone to Thomas Wyndham (died 1671) in chancel, reads: "Here lies
Beneath this Ragged Stone One more His Princes than his own And in his marterd Fathers
warrs Lost Fortune Blood Gained Nought but scarrs And for his sufferings as rewarde
His neather countinence or regard And Earth affording noe release is gone to Heavon
to ease his Greefe".

Listing NGR: ST0649842708

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Decuman, Watchet at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5117393

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

• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)