Lapford – St Thomas of Canterbury, Devon

Lapford - St Thomas of Canterbury, Devon

Lapford - St Thomas of Canterbury, Devon

St Thomas of Canterbury church which initially dates back to the 12th century. This attractive stone church is thought to have been developed by William De Tracey as penance for his element 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 all-around this time was the most exquisitely carved rood display, the church also features fantastically carved bench finishes and roof woodwork.

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CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, LAPFORD, DEVON

Heritage Classification: Mentioned Constructing

Quality: I

Record Entry Number: 1250085

Date first shown: 26-Aug-1965

Statutory Tackle 1: CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY

Countrywide 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 additional and nave re-roofed in late C15. Vestry added 1869 in accordance to Cresswell and chancel is comprehensive rebuild of similar time. South porch rebuilt 1871. More renovation of 1888 by Packham, Croote and Stuart integrated scraping and repointing the masonry, exposing and repairing the roofs, and some window substitute. 1955 restoration by Lt. Col. Bertram Shore. Initial fabric of mudstone rubble with granite, red sandstone and volcanic ashlar detail C19 snecked mudstone masonry and purple sandstone, Hamstone and Bathstone detail slate roofs with crested ridge tiles on north aisle. Nave with more compact and narrower chancel, north aisle and vestry, west tower and south porch. Perpendicular all through. Tall west tower of 3 phases with diagonal buttresses and embattled parapet. Semi-octagonal stair turret projecting from south-east corner with embattled parapet. The 4 daring drip programs are carried round the stair turret and buttresses and rise as hoodmoulds about 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 facet of tower has C15 doorway, a 2-centred arch with moulded surround and roll stops, which has C19 studded plank doorway with basic weighty hinges. Tall 3-mild window higher than with restored Perpendicular tracery and a drip course at sill degree is on this side only. Late C19 carved gargoyle h2o spout at the major on the north-west corner. South facet has an uncommon and very weathered sandstone specialized niche in the lower phase which now consists of a C19 statue of St Thomas a Becket and, in the center phase, a 2-light window to the ringing loft identical to the belfry windows but of volcanic stone and initial. The stair turret has small slit windows and 1 quatrefoil light-weight. The east confront of the tower shows proof of an previously increased roof than current. South aspect of nave is a great deal restored. Renewed Bathstone window at left close is sq.-headed and 2-lights with cinquefoil heads and hoodmould, and in direction of appropriate conclude is a much-restored, arch- headed window with Perpendicular tracery. C19 porch has Bathstone quoins, kneelers and coping to gable finish, outer flat arch with moulded surround, and lancets both facet. At correct (east) finish of nave is a volcanic and crimson standstone offset buttress which has been lessened in peak, maybe C15 get the job done. Gable end of nave is slate hung above the chancel. Chancel itself is wholly C19. South aspect has two 2-mild Perpendicular windows with a buttress involving them. East conclusion has diagonal buttresses every aspect, kneelers and coping to gable which is surmounted by a fleuree cross and consists of significant 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery and moulded hoodmould with big 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 (learn mason). North aspect of chancel has 2 lancets. East finish of north aisle and gable conclude of vestry have the similar kneelers, coping, cross and ventilator as the chancel. Former includes a 3-light Perpendicular window and latter a 3-mild Embellished window. On east side of vestry is an arched door that contains a plank doorway 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 proper of the vestry the split in between the C19 rebuild and C15 north aisle can evidently be noticed. The north aisle nonetheless seriously restored 3-window front of tall square-headed 3-mild windows with elliptical heads, sunken spandrels and moulded hoodmoulds. Authentic granite heads and renewed mullions. Restored buttresses involving and chamfered granite plinth. West has been restored in the design and style of C19 rebuild of east stop. Fantastic interior. Tiled floor of porch includes a C17 granite gravestone with a sunken border and daring lettering soaring from it. ‘God relaxation the soul of John Killan’. C15 south doorway, a granite 2-centred arch with moulded encompass and roll stops. It incorporates an ancient studded oak doorway thought by some to be Norman. The coverstrips are C19 but the massive simple strap hinges, the other iron fittings and the significant oak lock housing are first. Above the south door is a semi-circle of voussoirs, might be a blocked Norman arch. Nave has pretty good late C15 wagon roof, now open up but formerly ceiled. 8 bays, most important trusses with moulded ribs and purlins, big carved bosses, carved vine leaf wall plate and angels bearing heaters stand on shaped corbels beneath every single most important truss. The 2 bays nearest chancel have a ceilure the panels are boarded and there are diagonal cross braces, crestwork close to the panels and on the wall plate, the bosses are richer and the full finished with paint and gold leaf. ll-bay wagon roof to north aisle is comparable but not very as grand as the nave roof. Listed here also the unique ceiling has been taken out. Chancel has 4 bay C19 roof with phony hammer beam trusses with moulded archbraces and cusped queen struts above collar. Related roof to vestry. Moulded chancel arch on corbels. Significant tower arch has triple-chamfered arch ring dying into simple sides. Stair turret assignments into south-west corner and features a granite arch made up of a C15 oak studded plank door. Late C15 4-bay granite arcade to north aisle with moulded piers (Pevsner’s Form A) with moulded capitals to shafts only and large minimal arches. Nave and aisle partitions have been stripped of plaster and significantly restored. Large crank-headed arch to C19 vestry. C19 tile floors all over with some patterned encaustic tiles in chancel. The late C15 8-bay oak rood display across each nave and aisle is perfectly-preserved and amongst the greatest in the region. It has Pevsner’s B Kind Perpendicular tracery about panelled wainscotting with used ogival tracery and reduce quatrefoils. The ribbed coving in excess of the arches is enriched with carved Renaissance motifs, and higher than this the cornice is protected by 4 friezes of densely carved openwork foliage and sensitive cresting. Chancel doorway has been rehung and doorway to previous north chapel is lacking. Bay to remaining of chancel doorway had mullion taken off in C17 to accommodate a looking through desk and lintel with lobe decoration inserted. Rear of display is significantly less embellished. Modern day oak 3 bay parclose. East bay of wainscotting has an used strip of chip-carved oak with 4 trefoil heads. 4-light square-headed home windows with slender Perpendicular tracery and spherical headed doorway. Most of seating is C15 oak benches. 2 distinct types but the two are C15. Earlier benches now to south of nave and north of aisle have moulded surrounds to bench finishes with boldly carved panels, either tracery or rigidly symmetrical plant motifs. The later C15 benches, generally in the middle of nave and aisle, include things like original rear benches and frontal with collonade of flamboyant Perpendicular used tracery and lessen quatrefoils. Bench finishes have carved foliage frames and identical tracery to 2-panels. These incorporate a selection of carved motifs in matching pairs arranged on heaters, from time to time heraldic achievements, plant symbols, human faces and some allegoric, this sort of as symbols of the Passion. 1 characteristics the initials of the Saint John household who experienced 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-type Beerstone stem pulpit with octangonal drum and marble shafts to arcade and dated 1860, the present of Henry Kelland. Oak lectern of 1884. Perpendicular Gothic-design Beerstone font. Single plain marble mural monument to James Wills Patridge (died 1836) on south wall. East window and south window have stained glass memorial windows, both equally to Kelland loved ones and manufactured by Beer and Driffield 1888-9. North windows have interesting late C19 leaded glass in which geometric designs produced up of smaller panes of coloured translucent glass and with simple bouquets in heads. Sources. 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

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

historicengland.org.british isles/listing/the-record/listing-entry/125008…

Posted by Glass Angel on 2018-03-10 20:52:36

Tagged: , Lapford , St Thomas of Canterbury , Devon

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