Description

THORNBURY THORNBURY
SS 40 NW

6/64 Church of St Peter

14.2.58

GV II*

Parish church. Norman origins, rebuilt in C14 (dedicated in 1338) and again in C15.
Restored in 1876. Stone rubble walls. Gable-ended slate roof.
Plan: nave, north aisle and chapel, south transept, west tower and south porch. The
earliest feature - as in several churches in the vicinity - is a Norman south
doorway. A substantial rebuilding must have taken place in the C14 judging from the
eastern end of the north arcade and probably the transept and tower. The rest of
the church dates from the C15 and early C16 when it reached its present form.
Vestry to north of chancel probably added during restoration of 1876 when the
chancel was also rebuilt.
Exterior: unbuttressed battlemented west tower with obelisk pinnacles. No west
doorway. Restored 2-light belfry openings and Decorated style west window. North
aisle has 3-light Perpendicular windows - probably with the tracery and mullions
renewed. Granite 2-centred north doorway with double roll mouldings. Small gabled
vestry projecting from east end of aisle.
South wall of nave has 2 early C16 3-light segmental headed mullion windows with
square hoodmoulds, 2-light one towards east end. 3-lint Decorated style east
window is a restoration. South transept has a restored Perpendicular style window
on its end wall and a C15 style 2-light mullion with 4-centred heads on the east
wall.
Interior: porch roof is a restoration. Very good Norman south doorway of 2 orders
with semi-circular head which has several different mouldings including chevrons
around its outer ring. 2 orders of colonnettes with different carved capitals.
Interior walls have C20 plaster. North arcade is in 2 distinct parts. The 2
western arches are C15 with Pevsner A-type piers, and moulded wide segmental arches.
The 2 arches to the east are C14; lower and heavier, chamfered and rebated with
pointed heads. Octagonal central column and chamfered responds. Tall modern tower
and chancel arches. 4-centred transept arch also probably rebuilt. Piscina with
pointed head in north chapel. Roofs are all completely restored probably in 1876,
in arch-braced and simple A-frame form. Pews are modern but those in the channel
re-use some old carved panels likely to have come from earlier benches.
Otagonal C15 or C16 font with plain granite bowl and sandstone base and stem.
Good C17 alabaster memorial in north chapel with effigies of male and female figures
believed to be Sir John and Lady Speccott. 2 sons kneel at their feet and at their
heads are 2 daughters. Accompanying alabaster relief on wall at the foot of the
memorial depicts Sir Humphrey Specott and his wife Elizabeth.
Simple memorial on south wall of chapel of John Johns died 1715 with winged angel's
head below plaque and hourglass above it. Memorial on north wall to John 14aynard
and his sister Margaret who died 1694 and 1766 with decorative carving around edges,
armorial shield above and relief figure of child below. Slate floor memorial in
chapel dated 1681 to William Hamond rector of the parish.
Source: Beatrix Cresswell - Notes on Devon Churches in the Deanery of Holsworthy

Listing NGR: SS4006208455

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536545

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

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
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  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
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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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  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)