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

• Wikidata Q17536545

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