Parish Church Of St Andrew

Parish Church of St Andrew, Halberton

This is a parish church largely dating from the 15th century, although the chancel probably incorporates earlier fabric. The Norman font survives from an earlier phase. A two-storey vestry was added in the 16th century. The church underwent extensive restoration and partial rebuilding in 1847–8 by architect John Hayward, with further restoration to the chancel in 1887.

The building is constructed in coursed rubble sandstone with Portland stone dressing, and Beer stone detailing used internally. The plan comprises a west tower, nave, north and south aisles, a north vestry set transeptally, chancel, and sanctuary.

The west tower stands in two stages and rises to a crenellated parapet with corner pinnacles. Diagonal buttresses appear on the north-west and south-west only. A polygonal stair turret on the north rises to the full height of the tower and is separately crenellated. The belfry openings are Perpendicular, with three lights on the north and south (the north with only two lights). Large clocks are set below on the south, west, and east faces, with one dated 1861. The lower stage features a single-light window to the south, and a four-light Perpendicular west window with concave moulding bearing fleurons. The contemporary west doorway also displays concave moulding.

On the south side, four window bays are arranged with a porch and a polygonal rood screen and aisle roof access stair turret. The entire front is crenellated. The south aisle windows, including those to west and east, are Perpendicular three-light openings, largely dating from 1847–8, with hood moulds and head terminals. A moulded priest's doorway stands immediately east of the stair turret. The porch features a gabled crenellated roof with a heraldic panel above the outer entrance, appearing largely 19th-century in character. The inner south doorway displays concave moulding bearing fleurons, with an ogee-headed canopied niche above. Medieval gargoyles are visible on this side.

The north side contains a four-window bay to the north aisle, with three-light Perpendicular windows (including the west window, which though patched retains much original fabric) having hood moulds and head terminals. A substantial two-storey vestry without crenellations stands here, featuring two-light square-headed windows to the north (first floor) and east (ground floor), the latter retaining its stanchions and saddle bars. The chancel windows are all 19th-century, though the north window occupies an awkwardly cramped position suggesting the chancel is considerably earlier than the aisles. A four-light Perpendicular east window with transom illuminates the chancel. The east end has a gable parapet without crenellations, and all angles are unbuttressed.

The interior comprises arcades of five bays with no structural division between nave and chancel. The three easternmost bays (one to the nave, two to the chancel) have taller piers, with the change awkwardly marked by half capitals at different levels. Pier sections are octagonal, all standing on identical square bases with pyramid stops. The Gentleman's Magazine (June 1849) records that the entire church was rebuilt "with the exception of the 4 walls, the piers and arches," though presumably using some old materials. The double-chamfered arches appear earlier than the conventional 15th-century standard type and carry simply moulded capitals with fleurons. An unadorned tower arch spans below. The wagon roof to the nave and chancel dates from 1847–8 but may retain earlier timber, with a large principal above the nave-chancel division resting on stone corbel heads. The aisles have flat, plain boarded ceilings. An ogee-headed, cusped piscina stands on the south wall of the sanctuary.

The font is Norman, featuring a scalloped bowl with three cones to each side separated by intersecting darts, a roll-moulded neck, cylindrical shaft, and circular base, set on a 19th-century plinth.

The pulpit is an exceptional piece, with detailing suggesting 14th-century rather than 15th-century work, particularly evident in the nodding ogee canopies. It is wooden, carefully repaired but substantially intact, with a 19th-century open stair. The polygonal form displays five decorated panels, each of two tiers separated by angle fin muntins with roll moulding and large moulded bases. The upper tier features nodding ogee canopies, finials, and pinnacles, while the lower tier has square-headed panels of two lights with tracery incorporating roundels and ogee forms. The central rail and inner faces of fin muntins are adorned with foliage knobs. A battlemented base with foliage below supports the structure on a stone plinth.

The rood screen comprises 11 bays with groined coving intact on both sides. Each bay displays Perpendicular open tracery of an unusual type featuring a heavy central mullion, accompanied by wainscotting of similar design. Muntins bear roll moulding with large moulded bases, and a moulded cornice survives. According to scholar Bligh Bond, this screen dates to circa 1420 and was carefully repaired in 1866. Two parclose screens also survive: the south parclose consists of three bays of two lights with heavy cusping and a cornice of large vine-leaf trails with battlementing. Bond considers this to pre-date the rood screen. The later north parclose, also of three bays with two lights, exhibits more elaborate knobbly cusping and a lighter vine-trail cornice more typical of Devon work. The main screen has short connecting links to the piers immediately to its east, while the parclose screens extend eastwards of these piers. A further stretch of two bays from the rood screen was relocated to beneath the tower arch in 1924. The rood loft is entered through two studded doors of medieval appearance; the southern door features elaborate floriated hinges. Another medieval door provides access to the vestry.

Monuments include Humphrey Were (died 1625) in the south chancel aisle, south wall, now much damaged with the architrave missing but retaining good-quality armorial bearings and an inscription panel. Two 17th-century tomb slates dated 1617 and 1621 stand immediately west of the screen. In the north aisle, north wall, is a monument to Richard Clark (died 1728) with a cartouche bearing cherubs and shield. A slate memorial inscription to Joan Pullin (died 1774) set in a stone architrave with entablature adorns the south aisle, south wall. The north aisle, north wall, features a monument to John and Cecilia Chave (1807) with a weeping woman and urn. Traces of saltire motifs appear on the north aisle, north wall. The sanctuary contains a fine, complex tiling scheme, and pierced brass candle-holder panels flank the sanctuary, along with two wall lamp holders, all dating from circa 1847–8. C19 decorative work is also evident.

The glass includes four possibly 17th-century figures leaded into the west window. The north aisle (window III) contains the Ascension by Lavers and Westlake, dated 1894. The east window, undated, depicts scenes from the life of Christ.