Church Of Saint Mary

This parish church consists of a mid-15th century tower, nave and north aisle. The north aisle was remodelled in the early 16th century, and the porch is probably 17th century. The south-east part of the nave south wall is probably 12th century, as evidenced by coursed rubble masonry to the left of the porch. The interior was redecorated and refitted in the early 18th century, and the east wall of the north aisle was rebuilt or refaced in 1772 (as recorded on a datestone). The church was repaired in 1902, when the south and east walls of the chancel were refaced or rebuilt and the aisle eaves were raised. The roofs and windows were restored between 1935 and 1939 by Mr W.A. Forsyth.

The building is constructed mainly of squared and coursed sandstone with sandstone and limestone ashlar dressings. The chancel features snecked masonry, probably dating from 1902. The porch and part of the south aisle (probably 20th century work) are of coursed stone rubble. The internal arcade is of Beer stone. The east gable end of the nave is slate hung. The roofs are gable-ended and covered with Welsh slate.

Plan and Development

The church comprises a three-bay nave with a south porch in the second bay from the west, a four-bay north aisle, a narrower two-bay chancel, and a west tower. Although the fabric is now largely 15th century, the size of the nave and chancel probably reflect the extent of an earlier building. The 15th century aisle extends across both the nave and the narrower chancel, which is unlikely to have occurred if the church had been of one phase and had not incorporated either earlier fabric or merely an earlier plan. Evidence of rebuilding or refacing of the centre part of the nave south wall, probably in the 17th century, can be seen in a break forward and a probably 17th century arched doorway.

Tower

The three-stage tower has a chamfered plinth, diagonal buttresses with chamfered offsets, string courses, a parapet string with carved gargoyles at the corners, and a battlemented parapet with chamfered coping. A half-octagonal stair turret projects to the north-east, consisting of a square base with splays at first string-course level and rising above the tower parapet with a separate battlemented parapet and gilded weathervane. Small chamfered rectangular stair windows provide light. The belfry openings comprise two louvred cinquefoil-headed lights with pierced quatrefoils in the tympanum and chamfered reveals. The south side of the tower has a trefoil-headed window to the second stage and an empty niche to the first stage with weathered cusping. The west window to the second stage features three cinquefoil-headed lights with panelled tracery with trefoiled heads, hollow-chamfered reveals, and a string course carried over as a hoodmould. The old nail-studded boarded west door has a continuously-moulded arch. A clock on the second stage has weathered gilded arms and letters and a probably 19th century hoodmould with scrolled stops. Weathering over the nave roof is visible on the east side of the tower.

Nave

The nave has a pair of 15th century windows, each with three cinquefoil-headed lights, cusped panelled tracery and hollow-chamfered reveals; the left-hand window has a returned hoodmould. A central chamfered segmental-arched doorway with plain stops contains an old nail-studded boarded door with late 19th century ribbing and old wrought-iron strap hinges. The probably 16th or 17th century gabled stone porch has a round-arched entrance and 20th century wooden gates. Two pieces of reset probably 12th century masonry with billet ornament are positioned to the right of the entrance and to the right-hand side. Weathering on the wall of the nave is visible to the rear. The interior of the porch has a stone floor, wooden side benches and a plastered barrel-vaulted ceiling, possibly over a 16th or 17th century roof. An old oak wall plate is visible to the outside. A slate headstone is fixed to the right of the right-hand nave windows, in memory of Thomas and Sarah Pincombe and their family of six sons and daughters who died in a shipwreck along with 187 fellow passengers on 3rd May 1855, six hours after leaving Plymouth for Quebec, off Cornwall near St Keverne on the Manacle Rocks. A chamfered segmental-headed lancet in the east end of the nave is possibly reset or made-up.

North Aisle

The north aisle has three later buttresses with chamfered offsets. Restored 16th century square-headed windows have two and three hollow-chamfered elliptical-arched lights with chamfered reveals and returned hoodmoulds. A reset, restored or 19th century east window has three ogee cinquefoil-headed lights with panelled tracery and a returned hoodmould. A chamfered rectangular opening of circa 1902 is positioned in the apex of the gable, with a weathered 18th century datestone below, inscribed "1722". The blank west end has a circa 1902 chamfered rectangular opening in the apex of the gable.

Chancel

The chancel has a pair of 19th century chamfered trefoil-headed lancets to the south and a central 19th century Tudor-arched priest's doorway with a nail-studded boarded door. The restored 15th century east window has three ogee cinquefoil-headed lights with panelled tracery and a hoodmould (formerly returned).

Interior

The interior is notably unrestored with mostly pre-19th century fixtures and fittings. The early 16th century north aisle arcade comprises four bays, consisting of Pevsner type-B piers with moulded bases, carved foliated capitals (each one different) and moulded arches. A headless carved figure (probably of Saint Mary Magdalene) is positioned in a niche on the easternmost pier with a corbel base and crocketed trefoil-headed canopy with pinnacles. The 15th century triple-chamfered tower arch has the inner two chamfers dying into responds and the outer stilted and continuous. The restored ceiled waggon roof to the nave has moulded ribs and bosses, incorporating a 15th century moulded ridge-piece, reducing in size at the east end, possibly for a former ceilure. The early 16th century waggon roof over the aisle has moulded wooden ribs and wall plates and carved bosses. Four early 20th century tie-braces with brackets at each end spring from stone corbels. The 18th century plastered barrel roof over the chancel is possibly over earlier construction. A chamfered-arched doorway below the tower to the stair turret contains a probably 15th century nail-studded boarded door. Windows have splayed jambs.

Fittings

The communion table of circa 1700 has turned columnular legs, unmoulded stretchers and a moulded top breaking forward over the legs. A section of medieval carved panelling is reused as a reredos, possibly part of a former screen, consisting of seven tall panels with tracery and foliate carving. Oak altar rails of circa 1700 have barleysugar balusters, turned columnular balusters at each end and flanking the central gate, and a moulded top rail with some inlay over standards.

The early 18th century chancel screen possibly incorporates fragments of a former medieval screen. It has raised and fielded panels below, and is open above with beaded square posts and beaded top rail, and a central round archway with moulded architrave, key and flanking panelled pilasters supporting a moulded cornice, breaking forward over the pilasters. A late 19th or 20th century wooden gate has solid raised and fielded lower panels and a dished top rail with scrolled ends. An 18th century plastered tympanum above contains the Royal Arms in a square frame with an inscription in the lunette over: "1808 I. Mogridge Churchwarden. Rowland's Painter's". Flanking contemporary commandment boards in round-headed frames flank the arms, all retaining ancient colour. The sole plate of a former medieval screen is still in situ in the north aisle (indicated by mortice).

The 18th century triple-decker wooden pulpit is on the north side of the aisle. The pulpit consists of raised and fielded panels with moulded surrounds, panelled pilasters at corners, a deep moulded cornice breaking forward over pilasters, and an overhanging desk with two probably 19th century brass candlesticks. The back board has beaded corners and a round-arched raised and fielded panel with moulded surround and shaped top with key. The tester has a deep moulded cornice, breaking forward at corners, an inlaid six-sided star pattern to the underside, and an ogee top with moulded cap, surrounded by a carved figure of an angel blowing the last trump. The interior of the pulpit has a bench and foot rest. All panels have cross-grained edging to the raised centre. The reader's desk and clerk's desk have raised and fielded panels. An old 18th century egg cup and base were near the pulpit at the time of survey (July 1987).

Extensive 18th century box pews have raised and fielded panels two panels high, beaded corners and edges of doors, H-hinges and moulded rails. Interiors have shaped legs and angled book rests. Larger pews in the chancel include one to the north with an inlaid heraldic shield on the door, a moulded top rail ramped up to corners, and seats inside with ovolo-moulded edges and shaped solid legs.

The 12th century stone font has a square base, stumpy circular stem, a lead-lined square bowl with scalloped sides, and a 20th century wooden cover. A made-up tower screen (dedicated in 1977) incorporates a pair of 18th century doors of three raised and fielded panels each, under a round arch, and panelled sides made up from former box-pew doors (some box-pews have been removed from the west end at some time). An 18th century west gallery above has narrow turned balusters and a beaded square top rail with wrought-iron spikes. Two 18th century chests are at the west end, the larger one with locks. Eighteenth century benefactors' boards are below the tower. A plaster or wooden Tudor rose on the north wall of the chancel is possibly a former roof boss. An organ of 1877 is at the west end of the aisle, presented by James Quartly of West Molland.

The church has old stone floors except for late 19th century encaustic tiles in the chancel. Walls are of old plaster. Bells date from the 14th and 15th centuries and from 1562, circa 1700 and 1908. The top part of an old bell is at the west end of the nave, with an inscription, probably one of the early bells from the tower.

Stained Glass

Fragments of old heraldic glass survive in the east window of the north aisle. Nineteenth century memorial windows commemorate William Rossiter esquire and his wife, of South Molton, and there are other 19th century windows. Remaining windows have 19th century diamond-leaded clear glass. Old wrought-iron stanchions and saddle bars are present.

Monuments

The church contains a good series of memorials of the 17th and 18th centuries, especially those to the Courtenay family.

On the north wall of the north aisle is a Baroque wall monument in limestone with ancient colouring. A rectangular bolection-moulded frame contains an inscription to "the Right Worshipful John Courtenay" who died 1660 and his son John who died 1684. To either side are marble Corinthian columns supporting an entablature. On top is a central armorial cartouche surmounted by a scrolled pediment, feathers and skulls with mourning angels and urns. On either side the monument has husked buttress scrolls, and below, between the brackets which support the shelf, there is a subsidiary but integral pendant inscription on a convex oval with foliated cartouche on a small lion's mask corbel to Margaret, John Courtenay's wife, who died 1684. Cherubs appear on the brackets below the monument and centrally in the frieze.

On the east wall of the north aisle is a wall tablet of finely-engraved pale grey limestone with inscriptions and arms below, all in a simple veined marble frame, to Elizabeth Shapcoate who died 1700. Traces of ancient colour remain. A Baroque wall monument of limestone and grey marble in bold relief has an inscription in a convex oval to John Courtenay who died 1724. It is flanked by Corinthian pilasters supporting an entablature with broken segmental pediment. At the top is a central armorial cartouche with a mourning angel reclining to either side. A large moulded shelf on acanthus brackets supports the tablet and carries two winged figures of infants supporting shields. In the apron below the monument is a convex oak inscription to George Courtenay who died 1731 in a wreathed and husked frame, with below it a pair of skulls with bat's wings (possibly from the John Courtenay monument above).

On the north side of the chancel is a limestone wall monument to the Honourable John Courtenay who died 1732 (this monument is very similar to that in the north aisle to John Courtenay who died 1724). The inscription (which also commemorates Margaret, wife of John Courtenay who died 1743) is in a rectangular frame between Corinthian pilasters with an entablature (scrolled to centre) and broken segmental pediment which has an armorial cartouche and reclining mourning angels above. On the large shelf below the inscription stand two life-sized putti with shields of arms. In the space between two scrolled brackets below is an oval relief (possibly ex situ) of the Ascension with two cherubim below again. Below this monument is a stone chest probably assembled from parts of a 15th century chest tomb. It has shields of arms in quatrefoil sinkings with foliage carving in the spandrels. Enclosing this chest and the 1724 and 1732 Courtenay wall monuments is a probably 17th century painted wrought-iron gate with alternate diamond-set and twisted stanchions with ball and spear finials all fixed together with forelock bolts.

A large complex wall monument also on the north wall of the chancel was erected in 1664 to David Berry, "minister of this church died 1653/4". The monument is of various marbles and retains some old colouring, retouched. A convex oval inscription is in a scrolled and husked frame. The monument breaks forward in three planes. To either side are Corinthian columns supporting a pulvinated frieze and segmental pediment which contains an achievement of arms. Surmounting all is a large urn with winged infants on either side, one with a cherub corbel below, and swags of fruit and flowers on either side.

On the south wall of the nave are several monuments. A neo-classical round-headed wall tablet in grey and white marble commemorates Frances and William Dovell who died in the wreck of the Adelaide in 1850. In the tympanum is a relief of a shipwreck. The monument is by J. Thomas, Bristol. A neo-classical wall tablet of grey and white marble commemorates Henry Quartly 1840. A neo-classical wall tablet of grey and white marble commemorates Mary Jane Ronite who died 1832 and Lucy Ronite who died 1838. A timber wall tablet in a shaped and lugged frame is surmounted by three urns with a cherub in the shaped head. It retains old colours and commemorates Henry Quartly who died 1810 and Margaret Quartly who died 1824.

Historical Note

In the 12th century William de Botreaux gave the advowson of the church of Molland and Knowstone to Hartland Abbey. Molland Church has one of the best examples of an unrestored interior in the country.