Church Of St Peter

This parish church contains probable 12th-century fabric in the nave and chancel, though it was entirely remodelled in the early 14th century when the crossing tower, north and south transepts, and aisles were added. The aisles were heightened in the late 15th century, with alterations to the tower and the addition of a two-storey vestry at the same time. An early 16th-century south chancel aisle was built. The church was restored in 1867–8 by Sir Gilbert Scott.

The building is constructed of stone rubble, dressed to the south chancel chapel and roughly coursed to the vestry, with collar dressings. The roofs are slate with coped gable ends and apex crosses. Embattled parapets run along the south and north aisles, vestry, and tower. The plan is basically cruciform, comprising nave, chancel, crossing tower, north and south aisles and transepts, south chancel aisle, and two-storey vestry.

Exterior

The crossing tower features Perpendicular pointed-arched bell-openings of two cusped-headed lights on each face with slate louvres. A single-light cusped-headed window appears on the lower stage of the south side. Gargoyles ornament the top string on the north and south sides.

The nave has a three-light pointed-arched west window with a corbelled hoodmould. This window was shortened in the late 15th century when a virtually semi-circular arched west doorway with moulded surround was inserted. A Perpendicular three-light pointed-arched window sits at the west end of the north aisle.

The nave's south side displays Perpendicular four-light pointed-arched windows with hoodmoulds flanking the south porch, which has a 19th-century moulded door surround with a sundial above by John Berry dated 1753. The inner pointed-arch porch doorway has a cavetto-roll-moulded surround and closely framed and ledged plank doors with original lock and handle. The porch interior features a fine ceiled waggon roof with moulded main and diagonal ribs with richly carved bosses at the intersections and trailing vine leaf pattern to the carved wall plates. Timber cross-ribs with stars of leaves at the intersections decorate the tympanum.

The south transept contains a tall Decorated three-light window with ogee reticulated tracery and human head corbels to the pointed-arched hoodmould above a blocked pointed-arched doorway with corbelled hoodmould and ogee-cavetto moulded surround.

The south chancel aisle has a cavetto moulded wall plate and two early 16th-century granite straight-headed windows of four four-centred arched lights with labelled hoodmoulds. These flank a large stone shield with ogee arch surmounted by pinnacles and springing from spiral-twist colonnettes, positioned above a four-centred arched priests' door with old boarded door and flat hoodmould with large foliated label stops. A Perpendicular four-light window with pointed-arched hoodmould appears at the east end of the chancel aisle.

Short buttresses stand on each side of the east end of the chancel, flanking a Decorated three-light window with octofoil tracery and pointed-arched corbelled hoodmould. A small quatrefoil stone panel sits above.

The two-storey vestry has straight-headed windows on the east side, with the ground floor window having a relieving arch and iron stanchions and saddle bars. Three similar windows appear on the south side.

The chancel's north side has two Decorated two-light windows with quatrefoil tracery. A depressed four-centred arched window of four lights sits on the east wall of the north transept above a steeply pointed-arched doorway. A Decorated three-light window with ogee reticulated tracery and pointed-arched hoodmould appears on the north side. The north aisle features three Perpendicular four-light windows and a short thick buttress at the right end.

Interior

The interior presents a spectacular array of rich furnishings, fittings, and monuments. Early 14th-century arcades of three bays run to the north and south aisles, with square piers having applied 14th-century mouldings at the angles, probably incorporating fabric from the pierced earlier walls. The moulded sub-arches spring from corbels decorated with leaves and heads. Two human head corbels on the north face of the two central north arcade piers indicate the former north aisle roof line.

The nave and chancel have unmoulded and unceiled 15th-century waggon roofs. The north and south aisles feature fine trabeated roofs of flat pitch decorated with variously carved heavy timber bosses at the intersections. The transepts have waggon-roofs plastered over in the 18th century and decorated with long foliated trails with central and end star motifs. The crossing tower is supported on stone squinches forming an octagon with timber lierne ribs above converting to a square.

The south chancel aisle has an elaborate waggon-roof with every third rib and all the transverse members richly carved, with bosses at the intersections. Segmental pointed arches support the crossing, and depressed four-centred arches lead to the chancel aisle and to the chancel arcade of two bays with Pevsner 'B' type piers and foliated capitals.

Furnishings

The nave contains late 16th/early 17th-century benches to the rear. The font has a square bowl on a circular stem with an elaborate 17th-century cover featuring crocketed ogee ribs and pinnacles around the crenellated drum. The font crane remains in situ. The pulpit has a facetted drum with cusped ogee panels standing on six short turned balusters, with a metal arm holding an hour glass torch.

The north transept contains two benches with carved bench ends and four 17th-century benches. A fine rectangular family pew has two solid back-walls that are panelled, with a segmental panelled and carved ceiling supported in front by two carved Ionic pillars. A gallery on the east side, connecting the stair-turret and central tower, was removed to here in the 19th century. It features a double band of paterae to the head rail supported on square balusters and trailing leaf decoration to the bottom rail.

The south transept contains two elaborately carved bench ends and a trefoil-headed piscina in the east wall. The chancel screen has six tall narrow lights on each side of the doorway, square-framed with moulded cornice. A screen between the south chancel aisle and south transept spans three bays with standard tracery and more elaborate cornice. Renaissance profiles in roundels ornament the spandrels of the doorway.

The chancel features a stone reredos of 1888 in Beerstone. The altar table has linenfold panelling in the front. Some Barnstaple tiles survive in the chancel aisle, with chequered tiling to the altar step. Reused 16th-century panelling appears on two pairs of bench ends in the chancel aisle.

Glass

The north aisle west end contains three armorial shields. The north transept east window preserves some medieval glass in the traceried heads. The south transept features "The Resurrection" from 1888.

Monuments

The church contains an exceptional collection of monuments. Working clockwise from the west end of the north aisle, wall monuments commemorate: Rebecca Burrows (died 1792) by Ermes of Exeter; Richard Haydon (late 18th century) with oval medallion surmounted by urn; and the Slowly family (early 18th century) with slate tablet featuring torched pediment and large cherubs to the base.

In the north transept, charity boards appear on west and north walls. Mrs Ann Chilcott (died 1559) is commemorated by a tall obelisk with female figure resting on urn. Robert Wrey (died 1809) and Florence Lady Wrey (died 1724) are also memorialised here. A large chest tomb commemorates Sir John Wrey (died 1597) and wife, transferred from St Ive, Cornwall in 1924, with three-tier nowy-arched back plate with achievement, cartouche, and praying figures. Two semi-circular arched panels divided by caryatid ornament the front of the chest.

On the crossing pier of the north transept (east side), a wall monument commemorates Henry Northcote (died 1729) by Tho. Jewell of Barnstaple, featuring oval medallions, Corinthian pilasters, and cherubs leaning on shields flanking the central achievement. On the north side, a monument to Joan, daughter of Edward Lovet Esq (died 1679), shows oval medallion, pilasters, achievement, and winged cherub in the base.

In the chancel, wall monuments commemorate: Rev. Chichester Wrey (died 1756) above a tablet to Maria Naylor (died 1607); Lady Rolle (died 1705) above Rev. Bourchie Wrey (died 1839) by J Gould of Barum; and Mary St John (died 1631) with Ionic colonettes, achievement with broken pediment above a praying, kneeling female figure with child at foot. A wooden 14th-century effigy of a lady in recess, dressed in wimple and mantle, is preserved here. Bourchier Wrey (died 1696) is also commemorated.

Beyond the altar rail stands a massive alabaster tomb of William Bourchier (died 1623) with recumbent effigies, kneeling figures to head and feet, large strapwork cartouche, and nowy-arched cornice with achievements. Jane Nailour (died 1705) is commemorated on the south wall of the chancel.

The south chancel aisle contains a free-standing statue to Lady Rachel Fane (died 1680) in white marble, possibly by Balthasar Burman. A free-standing marble chest tomb commemorates Henry Bourchier (died 1654), with four dogs supporting a sarcophagus with obelisks at the four corners. On the east wall, a wall monument to Peter Bold (died 1665), servant to Sir Henry Bourchier, depicts various armorial shields. On the south wall, Frances, Lady Fitzwarren (died 1586) is commemorated with a six-poster monument with Corinthian columns, recumbent praying effigy, and elaborate strapwork decoration to the base and entablature. Wall monuments commemorate Thomas Hinson (died 1614) and wife, the Surveyor and Receiver General to the Bath estate, with praying kneeling figures facing each other, and William Skippon (died 1614) with kneeling figure in bold relief and Ionic colonnettes with amorino on pediment. On the north side, monuments commemorate Sara Pollard, a servant to Countess of Bath (died 1652), and George Fane (died 1668).

The south transept contains wall monuments to members of the Wrey family, including: Ann Bourchier Wrey (died 1791) by King of Bath with woman reclining on urn; Sir Bourchier Wrey (died 1826) by Stephens of Exeter; Sir Henry Bourchier Wrey (died 1782) by Youngs and Son of Barnstaple; Anne, wife of Sir Bourchier Wrey (died 1813) with lady reclining on urn; and Mary Lady Wrey (died 1751) with marble sarcophagus. A free-standing urn on square pedestal commemorates Sir Bourchier Wrey (died 1784). Four painted hatchments are displayed.

The south aisle features monuments to Edward Lovett (died 1700) with oval medallion in bold relief, Ionic colonnettes, and twin cherub busts to base, and Robert Lovett (died 1710) "of a milignant smallpox".