Church Of St Peter

Church of St Peter, Washford Pyne

A small parish church with a 15th-century tower base, the remainder rebuilt in 1882 by architect R M Fulford. The contractor was J R Gibbard of Exeter, with all carved work executed by Hems of Exeter.

The tower is constructed of roughly-shaped purple mudstone and volcanic trap rubble, with a red tile-hung belfry and tiled spire. The rest of the church uses neater purple mudstone and volcanic trap stone tending to courses, with Ham stone detail and red sandstone used internally, and slate roofs with slightly crested red tiles. The building comprises a nave with a slightly smaller and narrower chancel, a south transept chapel, a west tower, a south porch, and a vestry on the north side of the chancel. The tower is Perpendicular in style, while the remainder is late 19th-century Gothic with Arts and Crafts Movement elements.

The west tower is a low, unbuttressed single stage structure with a chamfered plinth, representing restored 15th-century work. It is surmounted by an 1882 tile-hung belfry containing pairs of slatted and cinquefoil-headed timber windows on each side, and a low broach spire with a brass weathercock at the apex. The north side of the tower contains small 19th-century volcanic lancets lighting the internal stairs. The west side includes a 15th-century granite two-centred arch with a moulded surround, containing a 19th-century plank door with wrought iron strap hinges with fleur-de-lys finials. Above the door is an 1882 Hamstone window in Early Decorated style with two lights and an arch head. The tower plinth is carried round to the south front of the nave.

The fabric beyond the tower is wholly 1882 work. The nave, to the left of the porch, contains a Hamstone square-headed window with a trefoil ogee-arched light and open spandrels. The eaves cornice features soffit chamfering in volcanic stone.

The south porch has rusticated volcanic quoins and Hamstone ashlar coping to its gable, topped with a fleuree cross at the apex. The outer arch has a double chamfered surround with a moulded hood mould and carved foliate labels. The gable has a moulded dripstone with a trefoil-headed niche above containing a carved statue of St Peter, and a fruiting vine bracket below which descends as the keystone of the outer arch. The outer left porch wall has a trefoil-headed lancet.

The eastern wall is shared by a gable-ended south chapel, built as high as the nave but not projecting as far as the porch. It has rusticated volcanic quoins and a small projecting eaves cornice with a hollow-chamfered soffit beneath the gable, which is surmounted by a fleuree cross. The front contains a large arch-headed moulded hoodmould over two tall square-headed single-light windows separated by an equally narrow section of walling. Each light has a trefoil head with a quatrefoil above and open spandrels. A quatrefoil light occupies the arch above these windows. Below the sill is a moulded dripstone with a band of rusticated volcanic ashlar beneath. Another band of similar volcanic stone crosses the front at eaves level, interrupted by windows. A volcanic ashlar relieving arch surmounts a Hamstone hoodmould. Above this is a horizontal band of Hamstone meeting the coping, and beneath the gable top is a Hamstone ventilator slit. Near the ground are two Hamstone quatrefoil ventilators. To the right, in the angle between chapel and chancel, is a diagonal turret containing a lancet window which lights a Hamstone-lined diagonal channel between the chapel and chancel.

The chancel's south side has a two-light square-headed window in similar style. The east end appears to be wholly 1882 work but includes a reset volcanic three-light arched window with simple arch-headed lights in 17th-century Perpendicular style. The gable has the usual Hamstone hollow-chamfered eaves cornice and fleuree cross at the apex. On the north side of the chancel, the roof is carried down over the vestry, which has a tall ashlar chimney shaft. The north side of the nave includes two bands of rusticated volcanic ashlar broken by Hamstone windows, all square-headed with ogee-headed lights. A two-light window appears at the left end, and a pair of two-light windows at the right (west) end. Two Hamstone quatrefoil ventilators are positioned low down near the right end.

The interior is a good and remarkably complete example of 1882 work. The porch has a floor of coloured and shaped tiles, wooden benches on each side, and an open common rafter roof with moulded wall plates. A plain round-headed arch leads to the south door. The studded plank door with oak lock housing may be 16th-century, though the cover strips and ironwork are 1882.

The nave features a four-bay roof with trusses that have moulded arch-braces springing from moulded Hamstone corbels. The bays between these have a plank ceiling forming a six-sided vault. Similar roofs exist in the chancel and chapel, but with curving plank vaults. The chancel roof has a crenellated wall plate. A high red sandstone tower arch has plain sides with imposts that are moulded on the nave side only, and a moulded arch. The chancel arch is moulded Hamstone. A two-bay arcade to the south chapel features moulded Hamstone arches supported on an octagonal red sandstone pier with a Hamstone base and moulded capital.

The walls are plastered, but embrasures have exposed red sandstone quoins and heads. A horizontal band of similar stone is exposed in the nave immediately below corbel level. The walls are lined with coloured and shaped tiles set in simple patterns up to dado level, with matching tile floors. The nave tiles are stamped on the back "Craven, Dunhill and Co., Jackfield, Salop". The rear arches of windows have chamfered low ogee-headed rear arches to deeply splayed embrasures. The double window on the north side of the nave has a double arch and a central circular pier of red sandstone with a moulded Hamstone base and capital. The Hamstone diagonal squint between the chancel and chapel has trefoil-headed lights at each end. A plain chamfered Hamstone arched doorway connects the chancel to the vestry.

The furnishings are notable. Oak Gothic-style choir stalls and pews remain, the latter retaining original brass oil lamps held aloft on twisted standards. An oak altar rail rests on turned balusters. A Gothic chancel screen is the gift of Charles Comyns Tucker (died 1922). An elaborately carved oak lectern has a square base resting on the symbols of the apostles, with the stem featuring the Sword of Spirit and an Agnus Dei on the front. The centre piece supporting the desk is dated 1893 and forms a small box or reliquary inscribed internally "In memory of George Tucker and My (Mary?), Tarbarton" with a Biblical motto. A Gothic-style oak pulpit is the gift of Elizabeth Bragg (died 1910). Similar brass candleholders with curving stems and repoussé leafwork are mounted on the choir stalls and pulpit. An organ in the south aisle was built by A W Walker of London in 1869, according to the maker's plaque.

The stained glass includes a memorial window in the chancel to the Carson family. Other windows contain leaded geometric patterns of shaped and colour-tinted translucent glass, all circa 1882 by Drake. The south chapel includes a reset Neoclassical black and white mural monument to Mrs Agnes Lambe (died 1807).

This is an unusually complete and well-designed church of the late 19th century with quite original features and is considered of national importance.