Description

BLACKAWTON
SX85SW
Church of St Michael
2/18
26.1.67
GV
I

Parish church. C14 chancel and possibly tower; nave and aisle rebuilt in
circa later C15 or early C16. Restored in 1887, 1893, 1895 and 1898. Local
shale rubble with granite and some red sandstone dressings slate roof.
Plan and development: The existing plan comprises:- nave, narrower chancel,
6-bay north aisle and 4-bay south aisle with a porch in the angle at the
west end, west tower and a vestry at the east end of the north aisle.
All that remains of the C14 church is the chancel, the altar of which was
dedicated in 1333 by Bishop Grandisson, and possibly the west tower. The
rest of the church, ie the nave and aisles was rebuilt in the late C15 or
early C16, although the circa C14 south doorway might be in situ. The south
porch is of uncertain date. The vestry on the north side of the chancel was
added probably in the C19. In 1766 the church was reseated. The church was
restored in 1887 when the roofs were repaired and it was refloored and
reseated at a cost of £700 (Kelly 1889). The chancel and vestry were
restored in 1893 and the chancel reroofed in 1893. In 1898 most of the
windows were renewed.
Exterior: The 4-bay south aisle has 4 large Perpendicular style 4 centred
arch windows with original hoodmoulds but renewed tracery; between the
windows buttresses has a slate sundial dated 1736. Blocked window in east
end of south aisle and gabled porch in the angle of the west end of south
aisle and gabled porch in the angle of the west end of south aisle. The
porch has a dressed slate 2-centred arch, late C19 or C20 gates and a circa
C14 2-centred arch inner doorway with ovolo and cavetto mouldings and an C18
fielded panel door. The roof the porch has been replaed. To the left,
west, of the porch 3-light nave window with replaced Perpendicular style
tracery.
The long 6-bay north aisle has 6 Perpendicular granite windows with 4-
centred arches with hoodmoulds, buttresses between the windows with concrete
weathering to the set-offs and between the 2 eastermost windows the
rectangular-plan rood stair turret with a slate roof. Both the east and
west end windows of the north aisle have been blocked.
The chancel has late C19 as early C20 Perpendicular style 3-light east
window and 2 smaller 3-light Perpendicular style south windows. The priests
doorway on the south side has a cavetto and rounded moulding and 2-centred
arch. The early north windows have been blocked by the later C19 vestry
which has a doorway and window on its east gable end.
The tall west tower is in 2 stages with a string course, an embattled
parapet on a corbel table, diagonal buttresses and a polygonal stair turret
on the south side also with a corbelled parapet whose battlements are
missing. 2-light bell-openings, only the east and north openings have
traceried 2-Centre arches, the west opening like the 3-light west window
below has its traceried window replaced by a circa C17 granite mullion flat-
headed window with a hoodmould. The west doorway, a slate, almost round
arch its original moulded frame probably having been removed; the west door
in C20.
Interior: The interior walls are plastered and limewashed. The floors are
paved in slate. The nave and aisles have C15 or early C16 waggon roofs with
moulded ribs but the plaster panels have been removed. The chancel has a
late C19 waggon roof. Similar north and south arcades, north arcade 6 bays,
south arcade 4 bays; B-type piers with shafts of the corner and wave
moulding between, carved foliage capitals, one capital on the north side has
arms of TOrre Abbey and one on the south side has arms of the see of Exeter;
moulded 2-centred arches. The window rear arches are cavetto moulded. The
tower arch is blocked. Doorway to the tower stair has a chamfered round
arch. A2-centred arch road stair doorway rebated for a door (missing).
The chancel is narrower and has an oddly adapted chancel arch; and a good
C14 triple sedilia on the south side with an integral double piscina; the
sedilia had cusped arches and hoodmoulds, the double piscina has corbelled
basins and quatrefoil tracery with a hoodmould. On the north side of
chancel 2 blocked lancets and a moulded 2-centred arch doorway now giving
access to the vestry.
Furnishings: Rood screen across nave and south aisle only, heavily restored
and loft and canopy missing in south aisle but some of the original blue and
red colour survives and the wainscot panels are painted with Renaissance
designs with grotesque heads animals and shields displaying enblems of the
crucifixion; 2 panels have initials "K" and "HVIII" for Katherine of Aragon
and Henry VIII. The south aisle has C18 fielded panel dado probably of 1766
the date of the C18 reseating and the north aisle has some C19 dado
panelling. C19 softwood benches and choir stalls. There is a low gallery
at the west end with an C18 (probably 1766) panelled front with painted
graining. Octagonal carved wood pulpit with blank arcaded panels strapwork
frieze and guilloche band appears to be Jacobean but Cresswell states that
it is C16 and originally it was set on the roof loft. Good Norman font in
red sandstone, the round bowl has a frieze of palmettos with cable-moulding
above and zigzag below; a circular item and moulded base Royal Arms of
Charles II in south aisle dated 1680 with flanking texts. Hatchment in
north aisle. Simple late C19 organ by Sims of Ryde (I.O.W.), provided in
1900 and set on platform made from parclose screen. Six bells, 5 of which
were cast in 1782.
Monuments: Fine brasses to Nicholas Ford died 1583 and Margaret his wife
died 1588, 2 figures on ledger stone at centre of nave. Slate on north wall
of chancel dated 1669 to Grace Stuer. Late C17 or early C18 wall monument
in south aisle in moulded frame with cornice and another to William Roche
died 1754. Also in south aisle a tomb chest to Richard Sparke, died 1700,
with wrought iron railings of the Cholwiche family memorials the oldest is a
floor stone to Richard Cholwich died 1646.

Listing NGR: SX8047250954

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526892

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

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)