Lapford – St Thomas of Canterbury, Devon

Lapford - St Thomas of Canterbury, Devon

Lapford - St Thomas of Canterbury, Devon

St Thomas of Canterbury church which at first dates again to the 12th century. This beautiful stone church is believed to have been crafted by William De Tracey as penance for his aspect in the murder of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas a Beckett on 29th December 1170. The church was prolonged in the 15th century. Also included around this time was the most exquisitely carved rood display, the church also boasts wonderfully carved bench ends and roof woodwork.

——————————————————————————————————

CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, LAPFORD, DEVON

Heritage Class: Shown Creating

Quality: I

Listing Entry Variety: 1250085

Day initially outlined: 26-Aug-1965

Statutory Deal with 1: CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY

National Grid Reference: SS 73152 08277

Facts

LAPFORD LAPFORD SS 70 NW 4/86 Church of St Thomas of Canterbury – 26.8.65 GV I

Parish church. Norman origins, rebuilt in C15, north aisle included and nave re-roofed in late C15. Vestry additional 1869 in accordance to Cresswell and chancel is comprehensive rebuild of identical time. South porch rebuilt 1871. Even more renovation of 1888 by Packham, Croote and Stuart included scraping and repointing the masonry, exposing and fixing the roofs, and some window alternative. 1955 restoration by Lt. Col. Bertram Shore. Initial material of mudstone rubble with granite, pink sandstone and volcanic ashlar element C19 snecked mudstone masonry and crimson sandstone, Hamstone and Bathstone depth slate roofs with crested ridge tiles on north aisle. Nave with scaled-down and narrower chancel, north aisle and vestry, west tower and south porch. Perpendicular all over. Tall west tower of 3 levels with diagonal buttresses and embattled parapet. Semi-octagonal stair turret projecting from south-east corner with embattled parapet. The 4 bold drip classes are carried spherical the stair turret and buttresses and rise as hoodmoulds over doorway and window on west facet. Changed belfry home windows of pink sandstone, all 2-lights with trefoil heads and a quatrefoil in the arched head. West side of tower has C15 doorway, a 2-centred arch with moulded surround and roll stops, which consists of C19 studded plank door with simple large hinges. Tall 3-mild window higher than with restored Perpendicular tracery and a drip study course at sill degree is on this side only. Late C19 carved gargoyle water spout at the major on the north-west corner. South side has an uncommon and extremely weathered sandstone specialized niche in the reduced stage which now consists of a C19 statue of St Thomas a Becket and, in the center stage, a 2-mild window to the ringing loft equivalent to the belfry home windows but of volcanic stone and authentic. The stair turret has little slit windows and 1 quatrefoil mild. The east face of the tower reveals evidence of an previously better roof than existing. South facet of nave is much restored. Renewed Bathstone window at remaining end is square-headed and 2-lights with cinquefoil heads and hoodmould, and in the direction of correct finish is a substantially-restored, arch- headed window with Perpendicular tracery. C19 porch has Bathstone quoins, kneelers and coping to gable close, outer flat arch with moulded surround, and lancets either aspect. At appropriate (east) close of nave is a volcanic and purple standstone offset buttress which has been reduced in top, quite possibly C15 function. Gable conclusion of nave is slate hung higher than the chancel. Chancel by itself is wholly C19. South aspect has two 2-mild Perpendicular home windows with a buttress involving them. East finish has diagonal buttresses every single aspect, kneelers and coping to gable which is surmounted by a fleuree cross and contains massive 3-light-weight window with Perpendicular tracery and moulded hoodmould with large labels carved as bishops heads, and, near the apex, a trefoil headed ventilator. Established into the bottom of the wall is a plaque recording the 1955 restoration by Lt. Col. Bertram Shore (Architect), Harry Partridge (master builder) and Michael Tucker (grasp mason). North facet of chancel has 2 lancets. East finish of north aisle and gable conclusion of vestry have the exact same kneelers, coping, cross and ventilator as the chancel. Former has a 3-mild Perpendicular window and latter a 3-light-weight Embellished window. On east facet of vestry is an arched door made up of a plank door with Gothick include strips and strap hinges with fleur-de-lis finials and on the north-west corner is a substantial chimney shaft supported by an offset buttress. Straight away to the right of the vestry the crack involving the C19 rebuild and C15 north aisle can obviously be viewed. The north aisle even so seriously restored 3-window entrance of tall square-headed 3-light-weight windows with elliptical heads, sunken spandrels and moulded hoodmoulds. Initial granite heads and renewed mullions. Restored buttresses amongst and chamfered granite plinth. West has been restored in the type of C19 rebuild of east conclusion. Outstanding interior. Tiled flooring of porch consists of a C17 granite gravestone with a sunken border and daring lettering mounting from it. ‘God relaxation the soul of John Killan’. C15 south doorway, a granite 2-centred arch with moulded encompass and roll stops. It is made up of an ancient studded oak doorway thought by some to be Norman. The coverstrips are C19 but the large simple strap hinges, the other iron fittings and the big oak lock housing are original. Previously mentioned the south doorway is a semi-circle of voussoirs, might be a blocked Norman arch. Nave has really good late C15 wagon roof, now open but previously ceiled. 8 bays, most important trusses with moulded ribs and purlins, significant carved bosses, carved vine leaf wall plate and angels bearing heaters stand on formed corbels less than each individual key truss. The 2 bays closest chancel have a ceilure the panels are boarded and there are diagonal cross braces, crestwork around the panels and on the wall plate, the bosses are richer and the whole finished with paint and gold leaf. ll-bay wagon roof to north aisle is similar but not fairly as grand as the nave roof. Here too the original ceiling has been taken off. Chancel has 4 bay C19 roof with bogus hammer beam trusses with moulded archbraces and cusped queen struts higher than collar. Very similar roof to vestry. Moulded chancel arch on corbels. Higher tower arch has triple-chamfered arch ring dying into simple sides. Stair turret jobs into south-west corner and features a granite arch containing a C15 oak studded plank doorway. Late C15 4-bay granite arcade to north aisle with moulded piers (Pevsner’s Kind A) with moulded capitals to shafts only and large very low arches. Nave and aisle partitions have been stripped of plaster and substantially restored. Huge crank-headed arch to C19 vestry. C19 tile floors throughout with some patterned encaustic tiles in chancel. The late C15 8-bay oak rood screen throughout both of those nave and aisle is well-preserved and amongst the very best in the region. It has Pevsner’s B Sort Perpendicular tracery around panelled wainscotting with applied ogival tracery and decreased quatrefoils. The ribbed coving more than the arches is enriched with carved Renaissance motifs, and earlier mentioned this the cornice is protected by 4 friezes of densely carved openwork foliage and fragile cresting. Chancel door has been rehung and doorway to former north chapel is lacking. Bay to remaining of chancel doorway had mullion removed in C17 to accommodate a looking through desk and lintel with lobe decoration inserted. Rear of screen is considerably less decorated. Contemporary oak 3 bay parclose. East bay of wainscotting has an utilized strip of chip-carved oak with 4 trefoil heads. 4-light-weight sq.-headed windows with slender Perpendicular tracery and round headed doorway. Most of seating is C15 oak benches. 2 unique varieties but equally are C15. Before benches now to south of nave and north of aisle have moulded surrounds to bench finishes with boldly carved panels, possibly tracery or rigidly symmetrical plant motifs. The later C15 benches, mainly in the middle of nave and aisle, include initial rear benches and frontal with collonade of flamboyant Perpendicular applied tracery and decrease quatrefoils. Bench ends have carved foliage frames and identical tracery to 2-panels. These consist of a wide variety of carved motifs in matching pairs organized on heaters, sometimes heraldic achievements, plant symbols, human faces and some allegoric, this sort of as symbols of the Enthusiasm. Just one attributes the initials of the Saint John family members who had the manor and advowson from 1430 to circa 1490. Some C19 benches to rear. Other furnishings are all C19. Oak handrail on wrought iron supports with repoussee vine leaf brackets. Gothic-fashion Beerstone stem pulpit with octangonal drum and marble shafts to arcade and dated 1860, the reward of Henry Kelland. Oak lectern of 1884. Perpendicular Gothic-style Beerstone font. One basic marble mural monument to James Wills Patridge (died 1836) on south wall. East window and south window have stained glass memorial home windows, equally to Kelland relatives and built by Beer and Driffield 1888-9. North home windows have appealing late C19 leaded glass in which geometric styles manufactured up of modest panes of coloured translucent glass and with basic flowers in heads. Resources. Devon SMR. Devon C19 Church Undertaking. B Cresswell, Notes on Devon Churches in the Deanery of Chumleigh (1919), pp.96-107.

Listing NGR: SS7315608276

Resources

Textbooks and journals
Cresswell, B F, Notes on Devon Churches in the Deanery of Chulmleigh, (1919), 96-107

historicengland.org.united kingdom/listing/the-checklist/list-entry/125008…

Posted by Glass Angel on 2018-03-10 20:52:32

Tagged: , Lapford , St Thomas of Canterbury , Devon

#furnishings #Do-it-yourself #woodwork #woodworking #freedownload#woodworkingprojects #woodsmith ,wooden craft, wooden planer, fantastic woodworking, wooden chairs, wood operating applications, well-known woodworking, woodworking guides, woodworking workbench programs