Parish Church Of St Mary

CLYST ST MARY CHURCH LANE SX 99 SE 1/19 Parish Church of St Mary -

• II

Parish church. Possibly C13 and C15; transepts added 1818; further extensions 1840; transepts lengthened, 1870; internal re-orientation, 1895-6 so that the south transept became the chancel. Blocked stucco throughout; slate roof. Cruciform. West tower; former nave and chanel now act as transepts, and former transepts (with crossing) function as nave and chancel; north-east vestry. West tower with battlemented parapet and pronounced string course; single stage with 2-light square-headed belfry openings to all sides; the tower is encased within the width of the (former) nave, probably widened circa 1840, and presents a symmetrical entrance front framed by the coping to the lower part of the gable wall, and diagonal buttresses with 2 set-offs. West door with hood mould and floriated terminals, with window above containing 3 quatrefoils in roundels. Clock in stone surround to north. All windows are C19, but date from 2 building schemes; 3-light Decorated windows to north, south and east ends, with hood moulds and head terminals, look earlier than the 2- or 3-light windows with no hood moulds, to north wall of former chancel, and east and west walls of present chancel. Lean-to vestry entered by north porch, gabled and flanked by lancet, the doorway chamfered with trefoil head. Interior: ceiled wagon roofs to present nave and chancel; boarded wagon to old chancel. Chamfered stone arch to former chancel; wooden arch (1895-6) to present chancel. Ritual east window with internal nook shafts, keeled, stiff-leaf capitals. 5-bay wooden screen, Perpendicular style, circa 1895-6, was made locally. The interior is notable for 3 C19 stained glass windows (ritual east, and those to either side of nave), 1870s by Lavers, Barraud and Westlake, which are of high quality. References: B Cresswell, Deanery of Aylesbeare, pp.100-105 (unpublished typescript in West Countries Studies Library); C19 Devon Churches Project.

Listing NGR: SX9789290343