Description

Design probably by John Hannah, mason and James Beattie and

John Oliver, wrights. Dated 1789. Parish church with

classical details, 5-stage tower with spire central on main S elevations. Body of church rectangular-plan, originally with

rear forestairs; latter replaced circa 1870 by large session

house with vestibules housing gallery steps in re-entrant

angles. All coursed red rubble with polished margins and

rusticated quoins, slate roofs.

TOWER: (upper part completed between 1798 and 1801), 4 lower

stages square, rusticated lower stage with Doric-columned and

pedimented doorpieces, panelled door with decorative

fanlight; Venetian window in stage above, clock faces to all

elevation in off-set 4th stage, octagonal drum above with

louvred round-headed belfry openings, stone steeple with

weather vane finial.

BODY OF CHURCH: 2 tall round-headed windows each side of

tower (2 leaded windows inserted 1912, outer windows with

intersecting tracery); 3-bay flanks (originally with central

doors) have windows at ground and at gallery level, the

latter round-headed. Continuous cornice.

INTERIOR: altered, probably when alterations to N were

carried out circa 1870. Gallery to 3 sides supported on

cast-iron columns and with panelled timber front, Town

Council's bench central with (original) decorative barrel

vaulted canopy supported on fluted square columns; pulpit

central on S wall with (?circa 1900) organ case behind. 2

marble monuments on N wall.

CHURCHYARD: presumably opened circa 1789, when old parish

church was abandoned. Mainly 19th century stone monuments;

Gothick mausoleum at N with central pyramidal finial; 1696

stone presumably re-sited here from old churchyard.

Ashlar-built wall to roadside (S), outer gateways each with ball-finialled square piers.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such.

Recommended Books

• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record