Description

CORYTON
SX 48 SE
CORYTON
1093/7/52
Parish Church of St Andrew
21.3.67

GV II*

Parish church. C13 chancel, C15 nave, C16 tower, 1840s porch, north aisle of 1885. Roughly dressed stone with some granite and local stone dressings, asbestos slate roof, north arcade and chancel arch Purbeck. C13 plan probably nave and chancel, C13 chancel walling survives. Nave rebuilt in the C15, west tower added C16, non-alignment of chancel, nave and tower may be due to the site. In the 1840s the south porch, a large north transept and probably the north east vestry were added. A major restoration by the Newman family in 1885 replaced the north transept with a 2-bay aisle, and replaced the chancel arch in the Early English style. East wall of chancel partly rebuilt, C19 Perpendicular 3-light east window with hoodmould and label stops. 2 probably C13 lancets in the south wall of the chancel, the western most chamfered. The nave has 2 C 15 3-light perpendicular windows with hoodmoulds and label stops, south wall partially rebuilt. 1840s porch has gabled roof and doorway with segmental arch. Dressed granite and freestone 3 stage battlemented tower, masonry brought to course above plinth which extends partly round the west end of the nave. The tower has some unconventional features: the west buttresses are diagonal, the south east buttress angle, the moulded string course below the parapet forms the hoodmould to the belfry openings. Projecting rectangular north east stair turret. Moulded arched west doorway with hoodmould and label stops below a 3-light perpendicular west window, string course rises to form hoodmould. 2-light belfry openings with cinquefoil heads to west, south and east faces of tower. Similar 1-light opening to north face. North east stair turret lit by trefoil-headed 1-light window to first stage. South face of tower has trefoil-headed 1-light window below belfry opening. 2-bay north aisle has date plaque of 1885 and arms of the Newman family. West window 2-light granite C19 perpendicular, 2 C19 perpendicular 3-light north aisle windows have hoodmoulds and label stops. Nowy headed slate sundial fixed to south wall of nave inscribed with church warden's name. Parish stocks to west of porch. Interior: Tall chamfered tower arch. Square font on 4-corner shafts, the bowl probably C 15, the rest of the interior is largely 1885. 1885 Purbeck double-chamfered chancel arch carried on engaged shafts with bell capitals. Far less architectural is the 2-bay Purbeck north arcade with almost flat arches carried on a pier of square section with engaged corner shafts with bell capitals. Wide 1885 arch between chancel and north east organ chamber cum vestry. 1885 arched panel and rib chancel roof with carved bosses. Contemporary arched brace and collar roofs to nave and aisle. 1885 benches and contemporary rectangular pulpit with chamfered corners and blind tracery. Fixed to the east end of the north aisle are the 1840s commandment boards and creed above a stone painted with fleur de Iys. 2 north aisle windows signed Kempe and Towers commemorating Elizabeth Newman, died 1909. Window in nave signed Kempe commemorating Ralph Newman, died 1896. East window signed Kempe, commemorating Lionel Newman, died 1902. 1894 brass to Thomas Newman, fixed to north wall of aisle. 3 old bell clappers fixed to timber frame on north wall of tower above a verse, lettering formed by studs: "Our duty done/in belfry high/ now voiceless tongues/at rest we lie/". The Newman family who financed the north aisle over the family vault purchased the Coryton estate in 1809.
Although the 1885 restoration is not very distinguished, the C16 tower and, particularly, the C13 chancel makes this a grade II* building. Thomas Newman, The History of Coryton (1940) Devon C19 churches Project.

Listing NGR: SX4570583554

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537320

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)