Church Of The Holy Trinity

Church of the Holy Trinity, Burrington

This is a parish church of considerable architectural importance, with 13th-century fabric surviving in the base of the tower and north wall of the nave, and possibly the chancel. The nave and chancel were substantially remodelled in the 15th century when the south aisle and porch were added. The building was restored in 1869 by Hayward.

The structure is built of random stone rubble, roughly coursed in the south aisle, with the west end of the south aisle, nave and tower rendered. Granite and firestone provide the architectural dressings. The roofs are of slate with coped gable ends, apex crosses and crested ridge tiles.

The tower stands at the north transept, a distinctive feature shared with several other Devon churches. It is of three stages with an embattled parapet, short diagonal buttresses and a polygonal south-west stair turret. The bell-openings are tall 2-light transomed openings on the north and east sides, with a single bell-opening on the west side, all with cusped heads. A 19th-century 3-light pointed arched window with human head corbels to the hoodmould occupies the base of the north side. An east-facing clockface sits above a single trefoil-headed light window. A 19th-century Perpendicular-style pointed arched window of three lights, again with human head corbels, illuminates the east end of the chancel.

The south aisle contains impressive Perpendicular windows of Dartmoor granite. The east window of five lights is particularly notable, with inner mullions having cavetto flanking roll mouldings; the outer mullions are later replacements. Three slate headstones are attached to the wall below these windows, commemorating Sarah Snell (died 1738), James Forde (died 1789) and James Batt (died 1814). Three further Perpendicular windows of three lights each occupy the right side of the south porch, with similarly moulded mullions. The right-hand window, above a 19th-century priests' door, is shorter than its neighbours.

The south porch is gabled and features a virtually semi-circular headed Perpendicular doorway with heavily moulded granite surround and a 19th-century door of two leaves with iron spear-headed top-rails. Above the inner 4-centred arched Perpendicular doorway with ogee-moulded granite surround sits a round-arched niche. The original framed and ledged door has applied cusped-headed tracery to the front containing a blank shield and cover strips; the central rib is missing but originally these formed four lights. A 19th-century Perpendicular-style pointed-arched window of three lights with human head corbels stands to the left of the porch. The south aisle's west window retains a Perpendicular hoodmould and part of the moulded surround, though the window itself is 19th-century with intersecting glazing bars. A large 19th-century 4-light window occupies the west end of the nave, featuring a large sexafoil traceried head and pointed arched hoodmould with human head corbels. Two 19th-century north side nave windows of two lights have quatrefoil traceried heads with human head corbels to their pointed arched hoodmoulds.

The interior contains fine unceiled Perpendicular waggon roofs to the nave and south aisle. The roof timbers are moulded with carved bosses at the intersections of every fourth rib. The south aisle features angel figures bearing shields at the base of each enriched rib at intervals along the wall plates, which are carved with trailing leaf decoration. The nave roof wall plates are carved with floriate decoration, while the 19th-century chancel roof has a crenellated wall plate in the same style.

An unmoulded 13th-century pointed tower arch provides access to the tower. The south arcade consists of five bays with granite piers of Pevsner A type, with capitals only to the main shafts, decorated with abaci. A fine Perpendicular chancel screen of eight bays features open-panelled tracery of Pevsner B type, with ribbed coving decorated with stalks and flowers, three cornice bands and cresting above. Late 17th-century communion rails have alternating twisted and shaped balusters. Piscinas include an ogee-headed example to the south aisle and a pointed arched example to the chancel. The nave contains complete 19th-century seating. A late 17th-century polygonal pulpit has fielded panelled facets.

The Norman font has a square bowl with scalloped base on circular stem, largely retooled in later periods.

Monuments are distributed throughout. In the chancel, the north wall holds a marble tablet by Rowe of Exeter commemorating Reverend James Buckingham, Rector of Burrington for fifty years (died 1855) and other family members. The south wall carries a slate monument with nowy arch to Ann, daughter of Nicholas Hole, vicar (died 1769) and Nicholas Hole (died 1797). A tablet below the piscina commemorates William Harvey MA, rector also for fifty years (died 1665), with a verse inscription. In the nave, the north side holds tablets to Sophia Weeks (died 1826) and William Pennicott, Surgeon, of London (died 1747). The south aisle contains a slate wall monument by Howell of Chulmleigh to the Cooke family, late 18th and early 19th centuries, and a twin monument to John and Mary Babbage (died 1799), also by Howell. Stained glass in the east window and easternmost window on the south side of the south aisle commemorates Matthew Thomas Loveband, Vicar.

The reroofing of the chancel and refenestration of the nave occurred in the 19th century, but the building remains essentially a medieval church of considerable grandeur, notable for its fine Perpendicular roofs, screen and granite architectural dressings. The transeptal position of the tower is a distinctive feature it shares with several other Devon churches.