Church Of St John The Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist is a parish church constructed from stone rubble with slate roofs. Its origins date back to the 12th century, although it was largely rebuilt in the 15th century, with a chancel added in the 13th century. The church was restored in 1893.

The chancel features a group of three lancet windows on the east side, along with additional lancets on the north and south walls. The north chapel includes a three-light perpendicular traceried window, while the south aisle is distinguished by an embattled parapet adorned with grotesque gargoyles and a three-light flat-headed window with head stops to the dripmoulds. The south porch has an embattled parapet, gargoyles, and a moulded two-centred arch doorway.

A tall west tower is characterized by buttresses that are set back from the corners, an embattled parapet, and perpendicular two-light bell openings. Above the moulded four-centred arch west doorway, there is a four-light perpendicular window. A polygonal stair turret is located on the south side of the tower.

Inside, the church has a four-bay south arcade and a double chamfered chancel arch supported by corbels. There is a moulded four-centred arch leading to the north chapel, and a tall tower arch that is bedded into the south wall of the nave, featuring a squat Norman pier with a scalloped capital. The nave, chancel, and north chapel all have wagon roofs, while the south aisle has a moulded roof.

The church contains a 15th-century octagonal font with quatrefoil panels. At the east end of the south aisle, there is a timber screen from around 1500, featuring linenfold panels and perpendicular intersecting tracery above, which has been extensively rebuilt. The furnishings date from the 19th century.

Notable monuments include one in the north chapel commemorating Alice, daughter of Lord Brivere, from around 1257, which features a recumbent figure in a niche, said to be a facsimile of one in Axminster church. Other monuments in the north chapel include one for Nicholas Fry from 1632, which has kneeling figures with columns supporting an open pediment, as well as monuments for Robert Fry from 1725 and Frances Fry from 1723, which include a bust and inscription. In the south aisle, there is a monument to Sir Shilston Calmady from 1645.