St Thomas of Canterbury church which initially dates again to the 12th century. This beautiful stone church is thought to have been developed by William De Tracey as penance for his component in the murder of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas a Beckett on 29th December 1170. The church was extended in the 15th century. Also added around this time was the most exquisitely carved rood monitor, the church also features fantastically carved bench ends and roof woodwork.
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CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, LAPFORD, DEVON
Heritage Category: Listed Making
Grade: I
Listing Entry Quantity: 1250085
Day initial mentioned: 26-Aug-1965
Statutory Address 1: CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY
Countrywide Grid Reference: SS 73152 08277
Aspects
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 according to Cresswell and chancel is full rebuild of exact same time. South porch rebuilt 1871. More renovation of 1888 by Packham, Croote and Stuart involved scraping and repointing the masonry, exposing and repairing the roofs, and some window replacement. 1955 restoration by Lt. Col. Bertram Shore. Initial cloth of mudstone rubble with granite, red sandstone and volcanic ashlar element C19 snecked mudstone masonry and red sandstone, Hamstone and Bathstone depth slate roofs with crested ridge tiles on north aisle. Nave with lesser and narrower chancel, north aisle and vestry, west tower and south porch. Perpendicular throughout. 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 classes are carried round the stair turret and buttresses and increase as hoodmoulds above doorway and window on west facet. Changed belfry windows of purple sandstone, all 2-lights with trefoil heads and a quatrefoil in the arched head. West aspect of tower has C15 doorway, a 2-centred arch with moulded surround and roll stops, which consists of C19 studded plank doorway with simple weighty hinges. Tall 3-light window over with restored Perpendicular tracery and a drip study course at sill amount is on this side only. Late C19 carved gargoyle drinking water spout at the top rated on the north-west corner. South aspect has an abnormal and really weathered sandstone area of interest in the decreased stage which now has a C19 statue of St Thomas a Becket and, in the center stage, a 2-mild window to the ringing loft comparable to the belfry windows but of volcanic stone and authentic. The stair turret has very small slit home windows and 1 quatrefoil light-weight. The east facial area of the tower displays evidence of an earlier bigger roof than present. South side of nave is considerably restored. Renewed Bathstone window at still left stop is sq.-headed and 2-lights with cinquefoil heads and hoodmould, and in the direction of right finish is a much-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 possibly side. At right (east) end of nave is a volcanic and red standstone offset buttress which has been reduced in height, potentially C15 do the job. Gable conclusion of nave is slate hung earlier mentioned the chancel. Chancel by itself is wholly C19. South facet has two 2-light-weight Perpendicular windows with a buttress between them. East conclusion has diagonal buttresses every single aspect, kneelers and coping to gable which is surmounted by a fleuree cross and incorporates significant 3-gentle window with Perpendicular tracery and moulded hoodmould with big labels carved as bishops heads, and, around the apex, a trefoil headed ventilator. Set into the bottom of the wall is a plaque recording the 1955 restoration by Lt. Col. Bertram Shore (Architect), Harry Partridge (grasp builder) and Michael Tucker (grasp mason). North aspect of chancel has 2 lancets. East conclude of north aisle and gable conclusion of vestry have the exact same kneelers, coping, cross and ventilator as the chancel. Former contains a 3-light-weight Perpendicular window and latter a 3-light Embellished window. On east side of vestry is an arched doorway that contains a plank doorway with Gothick deal with strips and strap hinges with fleur-de-lis finials and on the north-west corner is a big chimney shaft supported by an offset buttress. Quickly to the appropriate of the vestry the split amongst the C19 rebuild and C15 north aisle can obviously be witnessed. The north aisle even so intensely restored 3-window front of tall sq.-headed 3-light-weight home windows with elliptical heads, sunken spandrels and moulded hoodmoulds. Original granite heads and renewed mullions. Restored buttresses involving and chamfered granite plinth. West has been restored in the model of C19 rebuild of east conclude. Extraordinary inside. Tiled flooring of porch includes a C17 granite gravestone with a sunken border and bold lettering growing from it. ‘God relaxation the soul of John Killan’. C15 south doorway, a granite 2-centred arch with moulded surround and roll stops. It incorporates an historic studded oak door assumed by some to be Norman. The coverstrips are C19 but the large simple strap hinges, the other iron fittings and the large oak lock housing are primary. Higher than the south door is a semi-circle of voussoirs, might be a blocked Norman arch. Nave has very wonderful late C15 wagon roof, now open up but previously ceiled. 8 bays, major trusses with moulded ribs and purlins, massive carved bosses, carved vine leaf wall plate and angels bearing heaters stand on formed corbels underneath each individual main truss. The 2 bays nearest chancel have a ceilure the panels are boarded and there are diagonal cross braces, crestwork all around 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 related but not pretty as grand as the nave roof. Listed here much too the original ceiling has been taken out. Chancel has 4 bay C19 roof with fake hammer beam trusses with moulded archbraces and cusped queen struts earlier mentioned collar. Identical roof to vestry. Moulded chancel arch on corbels. Higher tower arch has triple-chamfered arch ring dying into plain sides. Stair turret assignments into south-west corner and consists of a granite arch that contains a C15 oak studded plank doorway. Late C15 4-bay granite arcade to north aisle with moulded piers (Pevsner’s Style A) with moulded capitals to shafts only and broad minimal arches. Nave and aisle partitions have been stripped of plaster and much restored. Massive crank-headed arch to C19 vestry. C19 tile flooring through with some patterned encaustic tiles in chancel. The late C15 8-bay oak rood screen throughout both equally nave and aisle is effectively-preserved and among the finest in the state. It has Pevsner’s B Kind Perpendicular tracery above panelled wainscotting with utilized ogival tracery and lessen quatrefoils. The ribbed coving in excess of the arches is enriched with carved Renaissance motifs, and over this the cornice is protected by 4 friezes of densely carved openwork foliage and delicate cresting. Chancel door has been rehung and door to former north chapel is missing. Bay to remaining of chancel doorway had mullion taken off in C17 to accommodate a looking at desk and lintel with lobe decoration inserted. Rear of display screen is much less adorned. Present-day oak 3 bay parclose. East bay of wainscotting has an utilized strip of chip-carved oak with 4 trefoil heads. 4-light-weight square-headed home windows with slender Perpendicular tracery and spherical headed door. Most of seating is C15 oak benches. 2 distinctive sorts but both are C15. Previously benches now to south of nave and north of aisle have moulded surrounds to bench ends with boldly carved panels, either tracery or rigidly symmetrical plant motifs. The later on C15 benches, primarily in the center of nave and aisle, involve original rear benches and frontal with collonade of flamboyant Perpendicular used tracery and lessen quatrefoils. Bench finishes have carved foliage frames and related tracery to 2-panels. These have a assortment of carved motifs in matching pairs arranged on heaters, from time to time heraldic achievements, plant symbols, human faces and some allegoric, this kind of as symbols of the Enthusiasm. A single options the initials of the Saint John family 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-model 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. 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 to Kelland loved ones and manufactured by Beer and Driffield 1888-9. North home windows have interesting late C19 leaded glass in which geometric patterns manufactured up of compact panes of coloured translucent glass and with simple flowers in heads. Resources. Devon SMR. Devon C19 Church Project. 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.uk/listing/the-record/record-entry/125008…
Posted by Glass Angel on 2018-03-10 20:52:36
Tagged: , Lapford , St Thomas of Canterbury , Devon
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