Church Of St George

SS 92 NE MOREBATH MOREBATH

2/126 Church of St George - 5.4.66 GV II*

Parish church. Tower possibly C13, north aisle C15, restoration 1874-5 by Butterfield (Thompson). Local stone rubble; slate roofs. West tower, nave, chancel, north aisle, vestry against south wall of chancel, south porch. The saddleback west tower may be C13 in origin but the top stage appears to have been rebuilt by Butterfield, who also rewindowed the nave, complete set of circa early C15 windows to the north aisle. The Butterfield restoration included new roofs to nave and chancel, tiling, font, benches, pulpit and altar Bails and cost £2,000. Exterior: The nave, chancel and lean-to south east vestry windows are 1874-5; single, paired and triple cusped lancets. The north aisle is buttressed with a complete set of early C15 granite windows, freestone to the interior, of a rather unusual Perpendicular design, the east window of the aisle is a C19 copy. 3 stage saddle back west tower with a narrow chamfered west doorway, a 3-light 1874-5 Decorated west window and trefoil headed lancets to the belfry stage, 3 to the west and east faces, 2 to the north and south faces. Buttressed south porch, probably wholly 1874-5 with a double chamfered outer doorway, north and south quatrefoil windows, a C19 arched brace roof and a chamfered-inner doorway. Interior: Plastered walls ; plain rounded tower arch ; chancel arch formed by tie beam with plaster infill above. 5 bay arcade (1 bay to the chancel), the piers with capitals only to the corner shafts, chamfered 2-centred arch into vestry. 1874 scissor-braced nave roof, co-eval canted ceiled wagon to the chancel with one main truss. The exposed ribs, main truss and wallplate all have painted decoration. Late medieval ceiled wagon to north aisle with moulded ribs and carved foliage bosses. The fittings are mostly Butterfield except for a C20 reredos with panels of figure carving, cresting and a co-eval altar. Tiling, communion rail with iron quatrefoils and choir stalls with shaped ends and pierced quatrefoils. Timber drum pulpit on some plinth with panels carved with quatrefoils ; nave benches with boldly shaped ends. The most remarkable Butterfield fitting is the polished marble font with a moulded bowl, cylindrical stem and 4 shafts on a moulded base. Monuments: Several late C18 and early C19 wall monuments in north aisle. Gloss: East window of north aisle 1875 signed O'Connor and Taylor; east window of chancel and west window probably Gibbs designed Butterfield. Devon Nineteenth Century Churches Project.

Listing NGR: SS9542325047