The Parish Church Of St Mary

A parish church built mainly in the late 15th century by William Bampfylde, though the base of the tower may be earlier. The building underwent much repair and replacement in the late 16th and 17th centuries. The north porch appears to date from the 17th century, while the upper stage of the tower is late, possibly erected in 1723 (the date of the bells). The church was restored in 1840 and 1868-9, with a major restoration undertaken in 1883-4 by R M Fulford, which included the addition of a south aisle and clerestory windows.

The exterior is constructed of coursed volcanic trap rubble with some Ham Hill and Beer stone dressing, beneath a dry slate roof. The tower comprises two stages. Disturbed masonry at the north-west corner suggests that the lower stage might predate the late 15th-century rebuilding. The tower features an ogee-headed lancet to the south and a trefoil-headed lancet to the north; the west doorway is surmounted by a squat two-light window with a hoodmould. The original door has six fielded panels and anchor-shaped hinges, dating to the 18th century. The belfry openings are single-light with relieving arches over all windows except the top stage, which oversails and is battlemented.

On the north side of the nave stands a porch, possibly of 17th-century date, with a moulded round-headed arch and an 18th-century planked gate. To its right is a tall, square-headed two-light window, each light cusped, of late 15th-century date. Six clerestory windows, on both north and south sides, date to 1883-4 and were designed by Fulford, replacing three earlier windows. Nineteenth-century battlementing is present.

The north transept features a two-light pointed window to the north with trefoil-headed lights and a quatre-foil in the apex, and a two-light square-headed window to the east matching the nave pattern. A moulded string-course runs below a plain parapet.

The chancel contains a 19th-century two-light window and one blocked square-headed 15th-century lancet to the north, a 19th-century three-light east window, and two wide cusped lancets to the south with a two-light 19th-century window. A priests' doorway with a two-panel door is present, and buttressing dates to 1883-4.

The south transept has two two-light square-headed windows to the south and east, dating to the 15th century, with battlemented parapet. The south aisle, added by Fulford, retains a two-light square-headed window to the south and a trefoil-headed lancet to the west from the former nave south wall.

The interior preserves tall, plain arches to the chancel and transepts that appear to be of late 15th-century date. The chancel arch is chamfered with pyramid stops, while the tower arch is unchamfered. Hagioscopes to either side of the chancel arch were revealed during the 1883-4 restoration. A trefoil-headed piscina is set into the south wall of the sanctuary. Multifoil-headed piscinas with shelves (damaged) appear on the east wall of both north and south transepts.

The church displays excellent late 15th-century stone angel corbels, comprising half-figures to the nave bearing shields except those to east and west, which play instruments; some ancient colour survives. Four full figures appear in each transept, also bearing shields, though they no longer support the present roof. The nave corbels support contemporary moulded timber wall shafts.

The roof is of late 16th or 17th-century date, comprising six bays with an almost flat, ceiled construction. The principals display cyma recta mouldings with run-out stops and bar. The same moulding appears on the wall plate. The roof cuts across the apex of the chancel arch. The chancel roof is a 19th-century copy of that to the nave.

Fulford's 1883-4 work is of high quality. A two-bay nave arcade is treated in different coloured stones. Six clerestory windows feature contemporary glass depicting angels with instruments. In the chancel, three-bay sedilia to the north comprise bays with depressed arches and heavily corbelled shafts. A segmental arch above the south door joins with a window recess immediately to the west.

The font is a simple cylindrical tub with double bead moulding. The rood screen dates to circa 1520-30 and was extensively restored in 1883-4 by Harry Hems. It comprises four bays plus a central entrance bay, with the rightmost bay being wider than the others and the only intact original. Each bay displays four-light Perpendicular tracery panels with coving containing Renaissance detailing, including medallions with stylised foliage motifs. The cornice has two orders (compare Kentisbeare and Plymtree). Nineteenth-century cresting crowns the screen. A 16th-century door to the tower stairs features chamfered muntins.

The Bampfylde Gallery in the south transept dates to the 18th century and has a front of three bays with fielded panels, fluted pilasters, and dentils. A plaster panelled ceiling with large floriated bosses is present. The gallery is reached by stairs, formerly perhaps external.

The reredos comprises three bays of polished marble by Fulford, with tiled panels to each side containing painted angels dating to circa 1840.

The church contains several monuments. A tomb slab in the chancel is dedicated to John and Agnes Bampfylde, dated 1390, though the date may be an error for 1490 (see below). Another slab in the nave commemorates John Bampfylde, died 1650. The major monument of the church stands in the south transept, south wall, and commemorates Richard and Elizabeth Bampfylde, erected by their son in 1604. It is of good workmanship and architectural design, featuring a tomb chest with five bays of strapwork to the front and two to the sides, supporting Tuscan pilasters and an arcaded canopy with two rusticated arches to all free sides, crowned with an architrave and epitaph with scrolled brackets. Shields and strapwork decorate the rear wall. The effigies lie side by side; he wears armour with his feet on a dog, and her feet rest on a ram.

A mural monument in the chancel, north wall, commemorates Charlotte Buller, died 1829 at Rome, by R J Wyatt, dated Rome 1831, depicting a deathbed scene with attendant women in half relief. A cartouche to Joan Bradford, died 1731, and a plaque with urn to Anne Bradford, died 1787, also appear on the chancel walls.

The church retains a 15th-century fragment consisting of the torso of Christ in the sanctuary south window.

A note on dating: the tomb of John and Agnes Bampfylde is dated 1390, with the couple described in Latin as parents of William Bampfylde who built the church and erected the great bell. Stylistically, the medieval work is of the late 15th century. William Bampfylde was alive in the mid-1450s. The slab was recut in 1840, and the date may be an error for 1490; the marriage connection indicated in the arms suggests an alliance two generations after 1390.