Church Of St Andrew

Church of St Andrew, Feniton

A parish church with Norman origins, substantially rebuilt in phases during the 15th and early 16th centuries, with major renovation undertaken in 1877. The building is constructed of local stone and flint rubble, with the north transept featuring coursed blocks of dressed flint; limestone, sandstone and Bathstone form the quoins and architectural detail. The roof is slate.

The plan comprises a nave and chancel, a full-length south aisle which incorporates the Patteson Chapel, a west tower and porch positioned in the angle between the tower and south aisle, and a north transept with vestry to the north of the chancel.

The exterior presents a low unbuttressed tower of two stages with an embattled parapet that once had corner pinnacles. A semi-hexagonal stair turret stands on the north side. The tower features large, unusual carved gargoyles and replacement belfry windows with Perpendicular tracery. The west doorway is a two-centred arch with moulded surround and hoodmould; above it sits a three-light window with Perpendicular tracery and hoodmould. A lean-to porch on the west end of the aisle has diagonal buttresses and contains a two-centred arch doorway with moulded surround and hoodmould, the label stops carved as human heads. The church door behind, leading into the west end of the aisle, is a low Tudor arch. The south aisle presents a six-window front of three-light windows with Perpendicular tracery, separated by limestone ashlar buttresses. The east chapel windows are distinguished by volcanic ashlar voussoirs. The priest's doorway has a small Tudor arch with carved foliate spandrels. The east window features a three-centred arch with cusped Y-tracery. The chancel east window is 19th century Hamstone with distinctive Perpendicular tracery. The vestry is 19th century and Gothic in style. The north transept has diagonal buttresses, and its end window, probably early 19th century, is a two-centred arch head with a single vertical mullion. The north side of the nave has two Hamstone windows with Perpendicular tracery.

The interior is largely the result of the 1877 renovation. The nave has a ceiled wagon roof with moulded ribs and purlins, probably 15th or 16th century but heavily mended. A similar roof in the chancel is neater and probably 19th century. The south aisle and north transept have 19th century roofs. A tall tower arch features a double chamfered arch ring. The chancel arch is 19th century timber with open cusped cresting. A Beerstone five-bay arcade, with one bay overlapping the chancel, displays moulded piers of Pevsner's type B and carved capitals. Remains of a stoup stand alongside the doorway. The walls are plastered and the floor is laid with flags, including some old graveslabs.

Fittings include a 19th century panelled oak reredos with Gothic ornamentation, a 19th century oak altar made up of panels carved like 15th century bench ends, 19th century oak altar rail and Gothic style oak stalls. The church contains a fine late 15th century oak rood screen divided into two sections by the arcade—five sections to the nave and three to the aisle. It is richly carved with Perpendicular blind arcading to the wainscoting. The windows display Perpendicular tracery of Pevsner's type A; the coved vault bears Gothic decoration and there is a frieze of three bands of delicately undercut carved foliage. The rear coving is missing, as the screen had been used as a reredos before restoration to its original position in 1877. A plainer parclose screen in slightly different style also survives. The pulpit and lectern are both late 19th century oak with carved Gothic surround. The oak benches are mostly 19th century with ends carved in 15th century style, though some are original with tiers of blind tracery carved on the bench ends. A late 19th century limestone font in Perpendicular style and a 20th century tower screen are also present. An old oak chest in the nave is dated 1681.

Memorials include a well-preserved and high-quality Beerstone chest tomb reset in a niche to the north of the sanctuary. The chest features a frieze of quatrefoils and supports the effigy of an emaciated cadaver partly covered by a shroud; nothing indicates its occupant, though the church guide suggests Sir William Fry (died 1427), whilst some consider the tomb earlier. Other monuments are 19th century and of local interest. A graveslab commemorates John Coleridge Patteson, the missionary bishop who died in Melanesia in 1871; the chapel was rededicated in his memory during the 1877 renovation. The church contains some good 19th century glass, particularly the east chancel window and the tower window.