Description

SX 8366 IPPLEPEN CHURCH PATH , Ipplepen
6/118 Church of St Andrew
-
23.8.55
GV I
Parish Church. C15 incorporating some earlier fragments; chancel possibly C14
consecrated in 1318. Rendered limestone sandstone walls exposed to chancel. Gabled
slate roof to nave and chancel, flat lead roofs to aisles.
Nave, north and south aisles with chapels, west tower and south 2-storey porch,
mainly Perpendicular.
Tall west tower, tapering, in 3 stages, with set back buttresses at corners.
Battlemented with 8 low pinnacles, pentagonal stair turret at centre of south side
with very small arched lights. Belfry openings, at ringing stage, have 2 rounded
arched lights. West doorway is wide 4-centred granite arch with roll moulding set
back behind outer arch of volcanic rock and red sandstone which has hollow chamfer.
Late C19 restored 4-light Perpendicular west window. Small single arched light on
second stage. North aisle has polygonal stair turret at north-west corner which
led to former west gallery and has 1 slit opening. Aisle and turret are
battlemented. 6 north windows, all probably C19 restorations with Perpendicular
tracery in Bath stone; intermediate buttresses. North doorway under divided
buttress has re-used Norman tympanum in red sandstone on which carving of a Maltese
cross and a bird, probably a swan, is discernable but has been damage when the stone
was hacked off to fit the present doorway. Flat roofed circa early C20 extension
between north aisle and chapel has trefoil-headed windows. Chancel has early C20
restored 5-light Perpendicular east window with carved headstops. Buttresses set
back from corners. Similar restored 3-light window on south side. To its left is
C15 priest's door in red sandstone with 4-centred arch, chamfered with pyramid stops
and arched hoodmould above. East window of south aisle is probably C19 restoration
but in Decorated style with star tracery similar to that at Staverton Church.
Probably original carved headstops to hoodmould. South aisle battlemented with set
back buttresses at corners and intermediate between windows. Restored 4-light
Perpendicular windows. Both aisles and the chancel have a chamfered plinth. 2-
storey battlemented south porch which has small square headed light on east wall.
Red Sandstone 4-centred arched doorway has hollow chamfer rebated behind chamfered
surround. 4-centred arched light above with leaded panes. Over that is a slate
sundial dated 1713. The porch has a corbelled rubble roof and stone seats. Holy
water stoup in east wall has chamfered arched opening and projecting stone bowl.
South doorway is Early English, transitional from Norman - a slightly pointed
chamfered arch of red sandstone and Beer stone blocks with very heavy roll and
hollow moulding to semi-circular arched architrave which has depressed keystone.
Probably C16 very heavy oak studded door with decorative strap hinges.
Good Interior: 6-bay arcade to aisles of octagonal red sandstone piers with shallow
Beer stone capitals which are moulded at the top and carved with fleurons and human
faces, some capitals have plain unchiselled blocks, as if unfinished. The bases
vary, some have been replaced; the original ones have cushion stops. Chamfered 4-
centred arches to arcade in red sandstone. Plain unchamfered tower arch has
chamfered imposts. Stone newel stairs to porch chamber and in west corner of each
aisle which formerly led to the gallery which was removed in 1883.
The chancel has a piscina in the south wall with 2-centred arched opening, to its
right is a sedilia of 3 stepped oak seats. Restored wagon roof to nave and chancel,
C20 flat panelled ceilings to aisles. C15 rood screen extends across nave and both
aisles, heavily restored in 1898 with the coving completely replaced and the frieze
and travery (Pevsner Type A) also partially renewed. The panelling is largely
original and painted with the figures of the 24 Elders, the 12 apostles and the 12
prophets. The most southerly 2 sections of panelling (unpainted) were replaced
during restoration. Parclose screens to chapel either side also heavily restored,
have Perpendicular tracery and cambered arched doorways. Altar rails dated 1724 are
barley-twist type. Fine C15 richly carved and painted pulpit on tapering stem has 5
panels which originally contained statues and have crocketed canopies. Carved
decoration of vine foliage and fruit. C18 steps added to pulpit have turned newels,
turned and moulded balusters, curtail step and carved brackets. C15 octagonal Beer
stone font has alternate quatrefoils and shields in panels and 2-light trefoil-
headed niches on pillar, 3 of which contain carved figures. The 3 chancel windows
date from 1906 and are memorial gifts, the work of C E Kemp. The glass in the east
window of the south chapel is by Drake of Exeter.
There are several C17 ledger-stones. In the nave is a red sandstone one of 1650 and
1692 to William and Elizabeth Crosson, the latter of whom was daughter of John
Crossing Gent of Dornafield (q.v.). At the front of the nave is a red sandstone
memorial of 1653 to Henry Full of Ambrooke (q.v.) with a rhyming epitaph at the
centre. At the rear of the nave is one of 1652 to Margaret Full of Ambrooke with a
worn epitaph at the centre. On the wall of the south aisle is a large ornately
carved plaster memorial to several members of the Neyle family of Ambrook erected by
William Neyle in 1727, with the family coat of arms. Above the south door is the
royal coat of arms dated 1725.
This is a well-preseved C15 church with some interesting earlier fragments and good
quality interior fittings.
Sources: Kelly's Directory 1906. The Churches and Parishes of Ipplepen and Torbyan
- Rev. R D Cooke.

Listing NGR: SX8340966555

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527403

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.

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