Description

SX 69 SW BELSTONE BELSTONE

3/5 Church of St Mary The Virgin

22.2.67

GV II*

Parish church. C15 tower; early C16 south aisle; nave, chancel and north porch
rebuilt during major renovation of 1881. Tower and aisle of massive coursed blocks
of granite ashlar (more regular in the aisle); nave and chancel of snecked granite;
granite ashlar detail; slate roof.
Plan: Nave and chancel under continuous roof. Full length south aisle. West
tower. Vestry in angle of tower and aisle. North porch.
Exterior: Low unbuttressed west tower of 2 stages with embattled parapet and corner
pinnacles. Internal stair in north-west corner. Belfry has lancet windows, double
ones on east and north sides. West side has 2-centred arch doorway with double-
chamfered surround below a square-headed twin lancet window with sunken spandrels
and the remnants of a hoodmould. C19 nave and chancel north side includes gabled
porch towards right end with 2-centred outer arch. To left of this is a reset late
C15-early C16 square-headed 3-light window with ogee heads, sunk spandrels and
hoodmould with rosettes carved on the labels. Left of this 2 C19 lancets (the end
one to the chancel) and another at the right end. East end has a fleure lona apex
cross on the gable and contains a C19 square-headed 3-light window with round-headed
lights, sunken spandrels and a hoodmould. The south aisle has similar windows but
these are early C16; a 3-light window on east end and 4 windows on south side, the
right pair 3 lights and taller than the left end 2-light windows. C19 chimney shaft
between the right two. C19 flat-roofed vestry in same style.
Interior: C19 south doorway, a plain 2-centred arch, contains a plank door with
good wrought iron ferramenta. The roofs are C19, open wagon roofs to nave and aisle
and a 3-bay roof of arch-braced trusses to the chancel. C15 tall tower arch; a
plain round-headed arch on soffit-chamfered imposts. Early C16 5-bay arcade with
one overlapping the chancel; low arches with double-chamfered arch rings on
monolithic octagonal columns with soffit-chamfered caps. The floor is a chequer
pattern of C19 tiles including some reset C17 and c18 graveslabs. Plastered walls.
Fittings and Furniture: Altar piece of 1912 comprising oak panels either side of a
painting of the Madonna and Child (a copy of that by Mario Basaili). The 1881 altar
was moved in 1930 to the south aisle where it was rededicated to our Lady, St.
Francis and St. Lawrence. Oak chancel altar rail of 1881 is unusual with standards
carved as openwork vines. Rood beam with bronze figure of Christ is a First World
War memorial. Pulpit, lecturn and prayer desk are late C19 and C20, all oak with
some good carving. C20, seating. C15 octagonal granite font has plain stem and
base. Painted arms of George III in south aisle. The only memorial is a shaped
marble plaque in memory of Reverend William Hole (d. 1828) signed by J. Taylor of
Pembroke. Some late C19 and C20 stained glass.
An unremarkable and much rebuilt Dartmoor church.
Source: Church Guide.

Listing NGR: SX6192793500

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537249

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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