Description

GERMANSWEEK GERMANSWEEK
SX 49 SW

6/87 Church of St. German
22.2.67

GV II*

Parish Church. Probably incorporates some C13 fabric with C14 and circa early C16
additions, restored in 1870 and 1875. Granite and local volcanic stone rubble wall,
roughly coursed on the tower. Gable ended slate roofs with decorative fish-scale
pattern over porch and chancel. C19 coping-stones to gable ends.
Plan of nave, chancel, south transept, west tower, north aisle and chapel, and south
porch. The low unbuttressed tower is probably the earliest part of the church, the
nave, chancel and south transept are likely to date from the C14. In the circa
early C16 the north aisle was added. The Church was extensively restored in 1870
and 1875 when it was re-roofed and new fittings put in.
Low 2 stage unbuttressed tower with weathered crenellation and no pinnacles. Very
primitive granite west doorway is almost round-headed and chamfered without stops.
West window is C19 restoration of 2 trefoiled lights with square hoodmould above.
Probably original belfry lights have worn trefoiled heads. Square stair turret
projecting on north side of tower. Attached to south wall of tower, low down, is a
slate memorial to Richard Redcliffe and his wife Joan who died 1789 and 1793.
Chamfered plinth.
The north aisle has no plinth. On its west wall is an early C16 granite 2-light
mullion window with 4-centred heads, in a reserved chamfer, with square hoodmould.
On its north wall the aisle has 3 similar windows of 3 lights without hoodmoulds.
At the east end of the aisle is a contemporary 3-light window with very simple late
Perpendicular tracery; its hoodmould has carved headstops. The east window is a C19
restoration with Perpendicular tracery. On the south side of the chancel is a C19
single cinquefoiled light and there is a similar 2-light window on the east side of
the transept. In the angle between the transept and chancel is a slight projection
for the rood stairs. The south window of the transept is C19 with Perpendicular
tracery. The single storey porch is immediately to the west of the transept and may
be completely C19 with a plain stone arched doorway. To its left the south aisle
has a restored 2-light window with cinquefoiled heads.
Interior: The porch has carved wall plates which are probably C19. The south doorway
has been rebuilt as a plain stone rubble arch. 4-bay granite arcade to north aisle
with shallow 4-centred arches which are double chamfered, a free-stone arch crosses
the last bay at the east end marking the side chapel. Pevsner A-type piers with
moulded cup capitals and simply moulded bases. The chancel arch has been rebuilt
and is plastered and rests on corbels. Plain tall tower arch is slightly 4-centred.
The walls are plastered except for the chancel which has C20 render. C19 arch-
braced collar beam roofs to nave, aisle and transept. Contemporary roof to chancel
is richly carved with running leaf motif. Font has C15 octagonal granite bowl with
renewed shaft and base. Rood stairs entrance is in the transept and incorporates a
squint to the altar but the stairs are blocked higher up. Small piscina with
chamfered stone arch in north chapel. There is also a piscina in the transept. On
the north wall of the aisle is a simple wall memorial of 1800 to Anna Maria
Seccombe.
The Church has a slate slab floor apart from the chancel which has C19 tiles.
Sources: Leslie Fielding - Germansweek and its Parish Church; Beatrix Cresswell -
Churches in the Deanery of Okehampton.

Listing NGR: SX4389694160

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537002

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

• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas