Church Of Holy Trinity

DUNKESWELL ABBEY ST 11 SW 1/19 Church of Holy Trinity - GV II Church, built on the site of Dunkeswell Abbey Church. 1842. Local stone and flint rubble with Hamstone dressings and detail; slate roof. Plan: nave with narrow south aisle, chancel, and west end porch and vestry. Single phase church in Transitional style. Exterior: the nave and chancel are under a continuous roof. Both gable-ends have shaped kneelers and coping, the east end has an apex cross and the west end gable is surmounted by a stone polygonal bellcote on corbels with a steeply-pitched spire- like pyramid stone roof and apex cross. The corners have angle buttresses. There are 5 windows on the north side and 4 on the south side, all lancets under a continuous hoodmould. The west end porch contains a 2 centred arch with moulded surround with hoodmould and block labels; it is flanked by double lancets. Above in the gable is an oculus. Interior: the soutn doorway is a 2-centred arch with a double-chamfered surround. The nave has an open 4-bay roof of arch-braced trusses springing from stone corbels carved with armorial devices. Tall chancel arcn has a chamfered surround. The 4- bay arcade has octagonal-section columns witn capitals carved with stiff-leaf decoration. The walls are plastered. The floor is tiled and includes, in the sanctuary, an assemblage of medieval encaustic tiles from the old abbey church. Reredos has a Gothic style Beerstone blind arcade. Plain oak altar rail, pulpit, lectern, and prayer desk some with simple Gothic ornamentation. Pine benches. Norman style Beerstone font with a large octagonal bowl with a band of fret pattern. No memorials. However there is an ancient stone coffin which was discovered when the church was built. It may be the coffin of the abbey founder, William Lord Brewere, who was buried here in 1226. There are painted commandment and prayer boards. The glass is original. Source: Devon SMR and P. J. Weddell Dunkeswell, Devon Religious Houses Survey Report No. 11. (1981)

Listing NGR: ST1427610726