Description

EXBOURNE EXBOURNE
SS 60 SW
5/53
Church of St Mary
22.2.67
GV II*
Parish church. Some early C14 fabric with C15 rebuilding and early C16 addition,
restored 1884 with further addition. Chancel and north wall of nave constructed of
local stone rubble; tower, porch and south aisle built of granite ashlar. Gable
ended slate roof.
Plan: Nave, chancel, south aisle and south porch, west tower. The chancel shows
evidence of earliest work with an early C14 west window, the nave probably dates to
the circa early C15 and the tower may be of the same date. Judging by its windows
the south aisle is early C16 but the porch built in front of it appears to be
earlier. The Church was extensively restored in 1884 by Fulford when the north wall
was rebuilt and the vestry and organ chamber added. Apparently evidence of a north
transept was found during this work.
Exterior: 3-stage West tower with crocketted pinnacles and set-back buttresses. 2-
light belfry openings have ogee heads. West doorway has 4-centred head and is
hollow chamfered in rebated chamfered square surround. Quatrefoils in spandrels.
Image niche above and 1 in buttress to either side which are ogee headed. 3-light
west window with surprisingly simple Perpendicular tracery with no cusping. The
rebuilt north nave wall has vestry at its east end with hipped roof and projecting
stack at right-hand side that cuts across the rood stair projection which has a 2-
light granite mullion window. On the north wall of aisle the easterly window re-
uses early fabric with 2 cinquefoiled lights and trefoils above. The window to its
rignt is completely restored in Decorated style.
The Chancel has a good circa early C14 3-light east window with reticulated tracery.
Above it is a datestone of 1656.
The south aisle east window is very large of 4-lights with late Perpendicular
tracery. On the south side are 3 early C16 3-light granite mullion windows with
segmental heads and square hoodmould. There is a similar window at the west end of
the aisle. Their mullions have been renewed. Small 2-centred arched priest's
doorway probably re-used from original south wall.
1 storey south porch has doorway with depressed 4-centred head, imposts and moulded
capitals.
Interior: Porch has simple chamfered south doorway with 4-centred head. C17 plank
door with trident hinges. Original wagon roof with moulded purlins and principals
and renewed bosses. 4-bay granite arcade of Pevsner A-type piers and 4-centred
moulded arches. Tall 4-centred tower arch which is double-chamfered. The internal
walls are plastered. Crocketted internal arch to east window carved by Hems during
restoration. The nave and chancel roofs are late C19 or early C20 boarded wagon
roofs.
Early but restored wagon roof to aisle with moulded purlins and principals.
C15 rood screen extending across nave, originally longer. Considerably restored but
retaining mainly original Perpendicular tracery and some of the frieze.
Panelled pulpit inscribed "S.W.1665".
The font is a composite probably composed of parts from several different fonts: its
base and shaft are old but of a different kinds of stone, the bowl is C19.
At east end of aisle is wall memorial with inscribed slate flanked by Ionic columns
with segmental arch above which has a ball finial. To Simon Westlake who died 1667.
Sources: Devon C19 Churches Project. Beatrix Cresswell : Churches in the Deanery
[of Okehampton.]

Listing NGR: SS6021601917

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537503

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

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments