Church Of St John The Baptist

SX 86 SW LITTLEHEMPSTON

5/53 Church of St John the Baptist 9.2.61

GV I

Parish church. C14. Largely rebuilt in 1439 when aisles, west tower and south porch were built. Ashlar with freestone dressings. Tiled roof. Nave and chancel in one. Chancel has C14 north window and C19 four-light curvelinear traceried east window. North and south aisles with embattled parapets and thin buttresses with set-offs and C19 geometric traceried window. The north aisle has polygonal stair turret to the rood loft. Four-centre arch south doorway with quatrefoil spandrels and hood mould with head stops. Two- storeyed south porch with embattled parapet, buttresses with set-offs, ovolo- moulded two-centred arch doorway with two-light window above with narrow niches in the jambs and carved lintel soffit. Tall west tower in three stages, with weathered stringcourses, set-back buttresses with set-offs, embattled parapet without pinnacles. Two-light bell-openings with four-centred heads. Three- light Perpendicular traceried west window and moulded two-centred arch west doorway. Polygonal stair turret on south side with battlements and later small gabled porch at its base. Slate sundial dated 1721 on south side of south aisle. Interior: five bays north and south arcades, the east bays narrower, with moulded two-centred arches, the piers have four shafts with wavy moulding between, only the shafts have capitals most of which are carved. The nave, chancel and north and south aisles, have C15 moulded waggon roofs with carved bosses at the intersections and on the moulded wall plate. Tall plain unmoulded tower arch. Chamfered pointed arch piscina with shelf. Good rood and parclose screens with traces of colour, Perpendicular tracery and tracerled wainscot, carved cornice with vines and birds pecking the grapes. Cresting above but coving is missing. Four-centred arch doorway to rood loft at north end. Norman sandstone font with seven-sided bowl with ribs on the underside, round stem and a cushion base. Late C19 furnishings in Perpendicular style including organ under the tower arch. Monuments: Two C14 and one C13 recumbent effigies on south and north window cills, two knights in armour, one 1243 Sir John Arundel cross-legged and with shield, the other circa 1400, and a lady of C14. Gothick monument to Charles Cornish of Gatcombe House 1818. Late C15 stained glass from St John's Church Marldon, two complete figures of St Stephen and St Christopher. References: John Stabb, Some Old Devon Churches, volume I, pages 83 and 84, plate 70. B F Cresswell, Notes on Devon Churches, Deanery of Totness, pp.184 to 197.

Listing NGR: SX8124462638