Description

DARTMOUTH

SX8651 CHURCH ROAD, Townstal 673-1/5/291 (West side) 14/09/49 Church of St Clement

I

Parish church. Norman font, basically early C14 with C15 or early C16 tower, restored 1881-5 by Ashford. Local stone rubble with red sandstone, different cream-coloured freestones, and granite dressings; slate roof with pierced crested ridge tiles. PLAN: Nave with north aisle, lower chancel, transepts and west tower. Small C19 vestry to north of the chancel. EXTERIOR: Tall west tower making decorative use of different-coloured stone dressings: 2 stages with diagonal buttresses rising above the embattled parapet to crocketed finials and, on south side, semi-octagonal stair turret; single and double lancets to the belfry; west doorway a red sandstone 2-centred arch containing a C19 studded plank door with massive wrought-iron strap hinges (similar doors elsewhere); directly above a granite 4-light window with Perpendicular tracery and plain hoodmould; plaque high on south side commemorating the church wardens of 1700. South side of the nave contains an inserted C19 three-light window with intersecting Y-tracery with hoodmould and uncarved block label stops. C19 south porch to right: gabled with 2-centred outer arch, double chamfered, and door contains an ornamental cast-iron grille; gable, like all the others, with coping and apex cross. Other windows are C19 replacements, Decorated tracery in the transept windows, and Early English tracery to the 2 windows on the south side of the chancel (with leafy capitals and nailhead ornament), east end has a 3-light window with ogival Perpendicular tracery in the blocking of a much larger window (some of the moulded jambs are exposed inside), and triple lancet in east side of the north transept. C19 gabled vestry in Early English style. 3-bay north side of aisle divided by buttresses; windows with Perpendicular tracery and central doorway, a late C15 or C16 granite Tudor arch with carved spandrels. C19 cast-iron rainwater goods around the church. INTERIOR: The nave, aisle and transepts have C19 open wagon roofs with carved bosses. Ceiled wagon roof in the chancel with smaller carved bosses is probably earlier. Tall plain tower arch with imposts and plain chancel arch. Early C14 three-bay arcade (including north transept) has octagonal piers with concave sides, shafts in the diagonals, and moulded capitals, shallow chamfers to the arches; similar to south transept. North side of chancel has large segmental arch to the organ, 2-centred arch doorway to the vestry and, alongside, a most unusual eye-shaped squint framed with zig-zag ornament. Piscinas in sanctuary (with cusped ogee head and shelf) and transepts. Various rere arches to the windows with nailhead ornament to the C19 windows on the south side of the chancel and a broad roll moulding to the nave window. Plastered walls and stone flag floor including a couple of ledger stones and C19 cast-iron grilles. FITTINGS: Unusual restored C17 oak altar table, top supported on carved heraldic beasts. C19 timber communion rail in Gothic style. Oak Gothic pulpit dated 1874 and lectern in same style. Most of stalls and benches are plain C19 deal, but chancel includes two C19 good oak prayer desks carved with blind Perpendicular tracery. Norman font on new circular stem, octagonal bowl with shallow blind arcade. Large timber boards in the chancel recording charitable bequests from 1548-1885. South transept screen, 1983 by SG Scardifield. MEMORIALS: Several good monuments. Oldest is medieval under a low arch in south transept - very worn Purbeck marble recumbent figure in long robes. In chancel, good large marble monument in memory of Thomas Boone (died 1679) and his wife Dorothy (died 1657) - plaque with frame carved with buds and flowers rising to an heraldic cartouche in front of a double pediment (segmental in front of swans neck) on Corinthian columns, whole surmounted by urns and bottom shelf on fluted consoles with festoons and another cartouche between. Nearby a couple of smaller C19 marble monuments with urns, in memory of William Barber who died at sea in 1817, and members of the Banfill family who died between 1790-1825; both are signed by Edward Wimser of Newton Abbott. Oval marble plaques on south wall of the chancel, in memory of 6-month old Sophia Brown (died 1777) and Richard and Dorothy Pillar who died with their daughter Elizabeth in 1814. Other good monuments in the south transept. An architectural plaque in memory of William Roope (died 1666) has Doric columns on a shelf with drapery between the consoles below and moulded cornice above surmounted by an heraldic achievement with remains of ancient colour. Good marble monument in memory of 12-year old Miss Mary Roope "a young lady of promising expectations" surmounted by a portrait medallion with putti holding open drapery to reveal it - an excellent unsigned work. Others in memory of Charles Hayne (died 1842) with mourning mother and child by Denman of London, Jane Jodrell (died 1821) with sunburst, and Allin (sic.) Gibbs (died 1838). Good brass with figure in civilian dress and rhyming epitaph in memory of Robert Holland (died 1611). GLASS: C19 glass in east window and the rest is C20. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: P.322).

Listing NGR: SX8693851482

External Links

• Wikidata Q17527110

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Recommended Books

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  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
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  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
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  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)