Church Of St Sylvester

The Church of St Sylvester is a parish church dating back to the 15th century, extensively restored in the late 19th or early 20th century. It is constructed of slatestone rubble with gabled slate roofs. The church’s plan incorporates a nave, north and south aisles and chapels, a south porch, and a west tower, all likely dating from the 15th century.

The west tower is three stages high, featuring set-back buttresses and a five-sided stair turret on the south side. A roll-moulded west doorway with a four-centred head is characteristic of South Hams architecture. The three-light Perpendicular window above this doorway has renewed mullions; the belfry openings are two-light with cinquefoiled heads. The north aisle has four completely restored Perpendicular windows, and a blocked north doorway is near the west end. The north chapel projects slightly and appears to have been rebuilt at its junction with the chancel on its east end. East windows have also been renewed. The south aisle is recessed from the chancel to the east, and the most easterly window of the south aisle retains mainly 15th-century features, although some mullions have been replaced. It is accompanied by a three-sided rood stair turret. Otherwise the windows are complete restorations. The small, gabled south porch has stone coping and a chamfered plinth that extends continuously from the aisle, with a two-centred granite moulded doorway featuring carved spandrels and a square hoodmould. C19 panelled gates are set within railings.

Inside, the two-centred arched south doorway has a double roll-moulded surround and a contemporary door of overlapping studded planks, secured by heavy strap hinges and a large wooden lock. The porch contains a partly restored medieval wagon roof. Internal walls have old plaster. Two five-bay granite arcades feature Pevsner A-type piers with moulded cup capitals and roundheaded arches. The tower arch is double-chamfered rubble with projecting imposts. Medieval wagon roofs survive over the nave and aisles, although they have been restored, while the chancel roof has probably been entirely replaced. A somewhat mutilated medieval rood screen remains, featuring painted figures on panels and some Renaissance ornament. Fragments of the parclose screens also survive. Notably, a very good wooden, medieval octagonal pulpit, richly carved and set on a tapering stem, has been preserved. The altar rails and table are 17th century, with chunky turned balusters and legs.