Description

NORTH TAWTON ESSINGTON ROAD, North Tawton SS 60 SE 13/92 Church of St Peter 22.2.67 GV I Parish church. C13 and C15 with early C16 addition, restored in 1832 and/or 1842. Walls of stone rubble and granite ashlar. Gable ended slate roof, wood shingle roof to broach spire. Plan: nave, chancel, north and south aisles, south porch and west tower. The tower is the earliest part of the church, dating from the C13. The nave and north aisle are C15 and the south aisle and porch were added in circa early C16. Chancel rebuilt and enlarged in C19 - either 1832 or 1842 (sources differ), also in 1832 general restoration carried out including window tracery. In 1834 a fire in the town spread to the Church spire which was considerably damaged and was rebuilt at a lower height. Exterior: squat unbuttressed west tower with broach spire. On its south side are 4 small lancets with pointed arch beads. Large granite west doorway with 4-centred head and plain chamfer - probably a later insertion. Restored 3-light Perpendicular West window. Single arched lancet belfry opening. Single storey battlemented vestry, added in 1900, in angle between tower and north aisle. North aisle is of ashlar with buttresses between the windows. Five 3-light Perpendicular windows all with mullions renewed. Between the 2 westerly windows is a north doorway of moulded granite with 4-centred head and arched hoodmould. Pointed head image niche above. At east end of aisle is large 3-light restored Perpendicular window. Rebuilt Chancel also of granite ashlar with 4-light Perpendicular style east window. South aisle, also of ashlar, has 5 early C16 3-light granite mullion windows with depressed 4-centred arch lights and straight heads with square hoodmoulds. Buttresses in between windows. Small ogee-headed granite priests doorway below eastern window of aisle. 1 storey gabled south porch has granite doorway with 4- centred head, moulded on inside and out. Interior: porch retains its wagon roof, partly restored, with moulded ribs and carved bosses and wall-plates. Granite south doorway with 4-centred head, roll and hollow moulding and deeply incised scroll stops. Probably contemporary heavy plank door. Two 6-bay granite arcades to north and south aisles with 4-centred arches and Pevsner A-type piers, their capitals differ slightly. No tower or chancel arches. Internal walls are plastered. Late C15 or early C16 open wagon roofs with moulded ribs, carved bosses and wall-plates. In the nave some late medieval carved bench ends survive - one with the arms of the Champernowne family. Gallery at west end has C18 stairs leading to it and some C18 panelling at the side but has been re- fronted. One late C18 wall memorial on north wall to members of Kellend family who died 1781- 5, it consists of a white marble plaque with black marble surround and urb above. The only surviving medieval glass is in the head of the central north window and depicts various angels holding coats of arms. Sources: Beatrix Cresswell : Churches in the Deanery of Okehampton; Walter Mortimer : The History of North Tawton.

Listing NGR: SS6644901729

External Links

• Wikidata Q17527652

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Recommended Books

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  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
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  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
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  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6