Church Of St Hieritha

Church of St Hieritha

Parish church. The entire fabric appears to be a rebuilding of late 15th and early 16th century date. The chancel was rebuilt and extended in the 1840s, the north aisle was rebuilt, and reroofing, refenestration and general repair and reseating were entrusted to Mr Hayward in 1872. The building is constructed of unrendered stone rubble with the tower coursed and ashlar dressings. Slate roofs with crested ridge tiles are finished with coped parapets bearing apex crosses.

The 15th and early 16th century church comprises a nave, north and south aisles, transepts, chancel, south porch and west tower. The north aisle, arcade piers, chancel and fenestration were renewed in 1872.

The exceptionally fine tall west tower is of Somerset type, rising in 4 stages with set-back buttresses topped by crocketted pinnacles at each offset. An embattled parapet is pierced with quatrefoils, with similar friezes at the base and at each stage. Eight open-work 2-stage pinnacles and gargoyles at the angles add to the richness. Large transomed 2-light bell-openings to each face feature heavily ornamented pierced tracery. A clockface sits above a 2-light pointed arched window on the south side, positioned over a cusped and pinnacled niche. The tall 4-light Perpendicular pointed arched west window (mullions replaced in the 19th century) sits above a 4-centred arched doorway with foliated spandrels and richly moulded surround. The hoodmould carries leaf labels.

The south aisle and south and north transepts have embattled parapets with quatrefoil friezes. The south aisle features buttresses at intervals with crocketted pinnacles to the offsets. Perpendicular style fenestration includes a 4-light window at the west end, 3-light windows to each side, and a straight-headed 3-light window above the south porch. The south porch itself has an embattled parapet, diagonal buttresses and a niche above a pointed arched doorway with demi-angel corbels to the hoodmould. The surround features an ogee-flanking hollow mould with fleuron decoration. The porch contains a fine trabeated ceiling with blind quatrefoil tracery to each panel, richly carved bosses at the intersections, and a deep moulded timber cornice. The inner doorway carries similar moulding on a smaller scale, with human head corbels to the hoodmould and a carved base for a statue above. The original door features heavily moulded cover strips forming 5 panels with blind traceried heads.

The north transept has angle buttresses with 2 seated mythical beasts to each offset. A rood stair turret occupies the left-hand (west) angle. A 4-light window with a narrow priest's doorway sits to the right. A stone oval tablet set in the right-hand buttress bears an inscription to James Spurnay, a Giffard family servant who died in 1715. 19th century 4-light Perpendicular style windows light the east side of each transept and the chancel's east end. A 2-light pointed arched window lights the chancel's south side. A polygonal ashlar chimney pot stands at the north-east corner of the chancel. A Perpendicular style 4-light window to the north transept is infilled below the transom, with a blocked 4-centred arched doorway below. All 19th century 3-light windows light the north aisle, with a 4-light window at the west end.

Interior

The nave and aisle walls are plastered; the chancel and transepts have unrendered plastered walls. An arcade of 5 bays separates the nave from the aisles, with 2 more bays between the chancel and transepts. The piers are of Pevsner B type: those on the north side have concave octagonal capitals only to the main shafts, whilst standard leaf capitals appear on the south side. A tall pointed tower arch features a hollow and ogee moulded surround with large leaf capitals. A wide-span moulded pointed chancel arch spans above. The nave, chancel and aisles have concealed waggon roofs; those to the nave and chancel appear to be 19th century, whilst those to the aisles are late 15th century with moulded ribs and carved bosses at the intersections. Crenellated wall plates decorate the south aisle. The chancel roof bears carved angel figures to the base of each rib. The early 16th century transeptal roofs are trebeated with heavily moulded intersecting beams and large carved bosses at the intersections.

In the chancel stands a late 19th century stone reredos with statues in niches flanking a mosaic of the Last Supper. Double 19th century sedilia and patterned floor tiles complete the fittings.

The nave contains a slender stone pulpit dating to circa 1500, its panels decorated with figures of saints beneath ogee canopies in narrow frames with leaf borders. 19th century nave seating throughout features blind traceried bench ends. The nave floor displays many exposed slab memorials. A 19th century font with a lead-lined bowl sits upon a 15th century base.

Windows and Glass

A full complement of 19th century glass survives in the aisles and south transept, featuring trailing texts. Stained glass in the east end window commemorates William Barry (died 1871). The chancel south window depicts the Rolle family and is by Hardman.

Monuments

The chancel's north side features an arched entrance to a narrow chamber floored with stone inscribed "Orate pro anima Joan Cobley", possibly placed over the relics of St Urith. An elaborate niche in the pier bears a painted inscription "In memory of St Hieritha, Foundress of this Church" with verses. Above stand 2 wall monuments: one to Rev. Thomas Colley (died 1762) with broken pediments and a central achievement, and one to John Bear (died 1656) with a nowy arch, achievement and 3 roundels inscribed with details of his children. A 17th century tablet to Rev. Hugh Harris adorns the chancel's south side.

The north transept contains the Giffard Chapel with a semi-reclining figure of Grace Giffard (died 1667), a fragment of a larger monument, and a large standing wall monument to John Giffard of Brightley showing a recumbent figure with 2 kneeling figures against the tomb-chest. The back wall displays 2 bearded heads in profile within medallions, with a broken pediment bearing reclining cherubs and a central achievement. Two 19th century marble wall monuments to members of the Collingwood and Giffard families stand on the west wall.

The south transept (Rolle Chapel) features a large 18th century standing marble wall monument with a tapering obelisk above a reclining cherub in high relief, an achievement above, and torches to each side. An inscription to members of the Rolle family reads "Whose lives have left to posterity a more expressive Memorial than can be perpetuated on the most Durable Marble". The east wall displays a tablet to Edward Yeo of North Petherwin (died 1636).

Additional monuments appear in the north aisle: on the north side, a tablet to Joachim Rolle (died 1638), and on the south side, a marble wall monument by T Gould to John Nickolls of Brightley (died 1850).

St Hieritha Church ranks among the larger North Devon churches. It is of considerable interest for its distinct early building phases—being entirely 15th and 16th century—and particularly for its exceptionally fine west tower, described as "unquestionably the finest church tower in Devon" (Hoskins).