Church Of St Budeaux

The Church of St Budeaux is a parish church with origins in the 13th and 14th centuries, though significantly rebuilt in 1563 on land donated by Richard Budockshead. It was restored and refitted by James Hine in 1876. The church is constructed of local rubble stone with granite dressings, and has dry slate roofs with coped gable ends.

The building comprises a nave and chancel, north and south aisles of equal width, a west tower, and a south porch. A 20th-century vestry is located at the northwest angle. The exterior elevations largely retain original features and windows, except for the tower, which incorporates elements from earlier phases. The tower is three-stage, unbuttressed, and embattled, with slender corner pinnacles. It features Y-traceried windows to the upper stage, a single-light window to the middle stage, and a two-light window with cusped tracery above the doorway. Most other windows are 3-light, with 4-centred arched central lights flanked by round-arched lights, all under 4-centred arches with hoodmoulds. The south aisle has one arched window flanked by two with flat arches. The church has 4-centred arched doorways, including a moulded south porch doorway with sunk spandrels and a square hoodmould, incorporating a sundial above. A blocked doorway is visible at the east end of the north wall.

The interior has limewashed rubble walls with exposed rear arches. A pointed tower arch, consisting of two orders, features prominently. The church has simple, replica waggon roofs and 4-bay arcades with depressed arches over standard A (Pevsner) piers. The fittings are largely from the 1876 restoration by James Hine, including pews with square ends and V-jointed boards, and an octagonal oak pulpit with quatrefoils.

Various monuments are present, including those to Roger Budockshead and family, and to Sir William Gorges and family, dating from 1600. A marble and slate 2-panel pilastered chest tomb commemorates John Fownes (died 1669), while cartouches with drapery honour Lewis Stanley (died 1693) and Charles Fortesque. Also present are two floor slabs, one to Richard Trevail (died 1665) and one dated 1648. Sir Francis Drake is known to have been married at the church in 1569.