Description

SS 53 NW HEANTON PUNCHARDON HEANTON PUNCHARDON

8/186 Church of St Augustine
25.2.65

GV I

Parish Church. C13 and later. Tower and aisle of coursed dressed stone with some
laced stone in 2nd tower stage. Nave, chancel, south and north porches of random
rubble. Slate roofs with C19 crested ridge tiles. Nave and chancel probably
incorporate earlier fabric but both heavily remodelled in late C15/early C16 when
west tower and north aisle were added. Windows in north aisle suggest possibly
early C17 refenestration and 1675 datestone below east window may indicate
rebuilding of gable end wall of chancel. North aisle arcade rebuilt and piers
remodelled in C18 or early C19. Nave and chancel refenestrated in C19. West
tower of 3 stages with setback buttresses. Embattled parapet with crocketted
corner pinnacles. Internal stair turret on north side with 7 openings all slits
except third from ground which is a quatrefoil panel. Blind quatrefoil panels
in first stage of tower on north, south and west walls, those to west and south
contain shields. Large pointed-arched bell-openings on all sides of 3 lights
with cusped and traceried heads with hoodmoulds. Single light bell-opening with
ferrimentor and flat hoodmould in second stage of east wall, 3-light traceried
west window with hollow-chamfered surround above Tudor-arched west doorway with
triple hollow chamfered surround and hoodmould. North porch doorway with plain
pointed arch. Tudor-arched north doorway with moulded surround. Four 3-light
cavetto-mullion windows to north aisle with depressed arches and hoodmoulds with
labell stops. 2-light transomed vestry window with hoodmould. 3-light east
window, partially recut and inserted in former larger opening. Small datestone
WM 1675 below. C19 fenestration on south side, pointed arches to the nave,
square-headed to chancel. Priests door with large dressed jamb stones and
alternating stone and brick voussoirs. Plain rubble south porch doorway with
slate sundial over dated 1795 by Jn and Thos Berry. Undecorated barrel ceiling.
Double chamfered south doorway, probably C13 with ancient pointed arch ledged
plank door.
Interior: Late C18/early C19. Arcade of 5 bays with depressed arches supported
on wave-moulded piers with thin cornices unusually set square rather than
diagonally. Tall, double, hollow chamfered west tower arch with quatrefoil panel
inset in wall to right. Aisle and nave have fine ceiled waggon roofs, aisle roof
of smaller panels, each roof with variously carved bosses in the intersections of
the ribs and longitudinal members. 4-centred arch vestry door with moulded
surround and ancient door inserted in larger pointed arch opening with large
rough keystone. Many walls and reveals subjected to C20 replastering. Perp-
screen to chancel with small angels carrying shields in the uprights of Pevsner
'A' type tracery, heavily restored in late C19, the coving almost entirely
replaced. C20 screen to north aisle. Octagonal stone font with faceted base to
bowl supported on squat central column and 4 corner colonettes on square base.
Fittings include 2 late C16 or early Cl7 chairs in sanctuary with carved backs
and C20 pews.
Monuments: Very fine early C16 table top tomb to Richard Coffin (died 1523) in
north chancel wall. Ornate Tudor arch to canopy of floriated pendants and
intermediate pierced trefoils supported on stopped and chamfered jambs, the
attached shafts cut down at top. Initials of R.C. in each of the foliated
spandrels surmounted by demi-angel bearing shield in centre of foliated frieze
with short fleur-de-lis bars to headrail. Base of 2 tiers of 6 quatrefoil panels
with square linen-fold centres to the upper tier and floriated centres below.
Above tomb 2 wall monuments to members of Ballyman family, both with ancient
colour decoration. That to left dated 1695 with scalloped base above winged and
wreathed skull. Cherubs heads to each side of oval medallion and 2 above in
draped and palmette surround. That to right has oval medallion with cherubs
heads over and putti each side reclining on plinth with winged cherubs bust
between the console. Painted Royal Arms of George III over south door. 4 good
marble wall monuments to Bassets of Heanton Court in family chapel in north
aisle, all with some ancient colour decoration. Elizabeth Basset (died 1635).
Praying female figure, kneeling, in high relief under shoulder-headed arch with
flanking Ionic colonnettes with shields above and inscription below:
"Should monuments Goe by merit, then Surely Thine with Pretious Stone and
Orient Pearls should shine. But since thy world of worthy world doth know
this marble stone may serve thy name to show."
John Basset (died 1660) Ionic colonnetes supporting scrolled pedmont. Arthur
Basset (died 1672) Corinthian Colonettes with broken pediment and cherubs
flanking Classical urn. Trophied surround to oval medallion supported on cherub-
headed consoles. John Basset (died 1686). Cherubs heads in foliated surround to
oval medallion with segmental pediment with central shield and reclining putti to
each side. Skull and flanking cherubs in base.
Belfry not inspected.

Listing NGR: SS5021735584

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526646

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

• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy