Church Of St David

The Church of St David is a parish church, likely dating to the 15th century. It underwent extensive restoration in 1875 by Hine of Plymouth, a project financed by the Pearce family. The church is constructed of snicked stone rubble with roughly coursed ashlar slate stone to the tower, and has slate roofs. The original layout consisted of a nave and chancel, extended by five bay arcades to wide north and south aisles, and a three-stage west tower. Prior to the 1875 restoration, the church was highly regarded for its design and sculptural ornamentation.

The 1875 restoration involved rebuilding the outer walls of the chancel and north and south aisles, largely replacing the roofs, and refurnishing the interior. The tower is a prominent feature, with set-back buttresses and crocketted finials. A rectangular stair turret is set into the north side. Windows in the north and south aisles have three-light Perpendicular tracery, while those in the chancel and east ends of the aisles have five-light Perpendicular tracery, all dating to the 19th century. A gabled 19th-century south porch features a waggon roof and incorporates earlier carved wall plate. The south door has a four-centred hollow chamfered arch with carved florets.

Inside, the walls are unplastered and the floors are slate flag. A two-centred arch defines the tower opening. The chancel has a 19th-century waggon roof, also incorporating reused carved wall plate. Several features remain from the original 15th-century structure, including five-bay arcades with type A piers, moulded bases and capitals. There’s an unusual font, possibly dating to the 15th century or earlier, with a square base to the bowl, large curved spade stops, chamfered sides, and a round moulded shaft, originally accompanied by four thinner shafts at the corners. Fragments of circa 15th-century bench ends are located in the east end of the south aisle and the nave. Numerous memorials are present, including ledger stones commemorating Richard Betenson (1668), Thomas Bettenson (1693), John Parlon (1693), Francis Nicholls (1674), and William Pearse (1638). A memorial to the Pearse family, erected by the rate payers of Davidstow to express gratitude for the restoration, is located in the porch. The east window of the south aisle is signed by O’Connor and Taylor, London, 1876.