Church Of St Mary

SX 56 SW BICKLEIGH BICKLEIGH 5/3 Church of St Mary 29-3-60 I

Parish Church. C15 west tower, remainder largely rebuilt in 1838 by Charles Fowler for Sir Ralph Lope of Maristow. Restored again in 1882 by J D Sedding. Stone rubble with granite dressings. Slate roofs. Nave and chancel in one, north and south aisles with Perpendicular style 3-light windows and 4-light east window. South porch. South doorway is C15/16 reused, moulded granite with 4-centred arch and cusped spandrels. Large C15 west tower in 3 stages with set back buttresses to first 2 stages, moulded bare embattled parapet with gargoyles on north and south sides. Large slightly corballed corner turrets, crenellated and with crocketed finials. Two-light Perpendicular ball openings. Polygonal stair turret at north-west of tower. Three-light Perpendicular west window over heavily moulded west doorway with 2-centred arch, quatrefoils in the spandrels and label. Interior: Perpendicular 4-bay arcades of 1838 with 4-centred arches and octagonal piers on tall bases. No chancel arch. C15 tower arch. C19 arch-braced cellar roof. C19 benches with possibly earlier carved bench ends. C16 font with crenellated octagonal bowl wth carved flat foliage and bulbous stem C12 font of crude tub shape with zigzag carving. Monuments: Slanning 1599 and Sir Nicholas Slanning 1643, over south door. C19 wall memorials to the Lopes family chiefly in north aisle, one to Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes of Maristow, 1831, by Westmacott the younger. Ref: Builder, 1867, p 761.

Listing NGR: SX5208762309