Description

SX 8261 and SX 8260 BERRY POMEROY BERRY POMEROY

11/11 and 12/11 Church of St Mary

9.2.61

GV I

Parish church. Rebuilt in C15 possibly by Sir Richard de Pomeroy, restored
circa late C17 and 1878-79. Tower has C13/14 west doorway. Stone rubble with
freestone dressings and slate roofs, tower rendered. Nave and chancel in one.
Restored five-light Perpendicular panel tracery east window. North and south
aisles have embattled parapets, thin buttresses with set-off and restored
four-light Perpendicular panel tracery windows. Rood stair turret on north
side. C15 two-storeyed south porch with embattled parapet diagonal buttresses,
moulded round-arch doorway with heavy label and two-light window above. Sundial
on porch dated 1687. Stair turret on west side of porch. Interior of porch has
two bays of octopartite vaults with blank arcades on east and west sides. Inner
south door is from the screen and glazed. Tall west tower in two stages with
thin set-back buttresses with set-offs, embattled parapet, three-light bell-
openings, Perpendicular four-light west window, the mullions having been
restored. Circa C13/14 moulded west doorway. Interior: wide nave with five-bay
C15 north and south arcades with moulded two-centred arches on piers with four
shafts with wavy moulding between and leaf frieze capitals, some bearing
benefactors' names. Tall moulded tower arch with shafted responds and moulded
capitals. Late C19 boarded segmental wagon roof to nave and chancel and late
C19 flat aisle roofs. Very fine C15 rood screen across nave and aisles and
parclose screen with original colour including defaced painted figures on
wainscot panels, traceried above and vaulted coving with finely carved pulvina-
ted frieze with vine and grapes and cresting above. C15 octagonal font with
quatrefoil panels. Remainder of furnishings Victorian except for reused altar
rail of circa early C18 now in north aisle and a C17 carved chest in south
aisle. Monuments: on north side of chancel Sir Richard Pomeroy 1496 and his
wife, a tomb chest with quatrefoil panels in niche with carved Tudor arch, the
brasses of kneelers and shields are missing. At east end of north aisle Seymour
monument 1613 (Sir Edward died 1593) with reclining effigies of two knights
(Edward son of the Protector and his son Lord Edward Seymour) and another
reclining effigy of the latter's wife with child in cradle and another child at
her feet. Kneeling figures below of five sons and four daughters. Wall
monument to Revd John Prince 1681-1723 Vicar of St Mary's and author of "The
worthies of Devon", first published in 1701. Other C18 and C19 wall monuments.
Floor slab in chancel to Robert Lyde 1615 and family. Painted Royal Arms of
William III and inscription below:- "Fear God Honour Ye King".
References: B.F. Cresswell, Notes on Devon Churches, Deanery of Totres, p.p.45
to 61. John Stabb, Devon Church Antiquities, Vol. 1 page 10, and some Old Devon
Churches Vol 1, p.p.ll and 12.

Listing NGR: SX8289261013

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Mary at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17526982

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

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  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
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  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
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  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)