Church Of St Lawrence

SHEEPWASH EAST STREET, Sheepwash SS 40 NE 7/91 Church of St Lawrence - 4.10.60 GV II* Parish church. Rebuilt 1880 - 1 and 1889 by Jb F. Gould and Webb of Barnstaple. Coursed square slate stone walls. Gable-ended slate roof with crested ridge tiles and stone coping to gables. Ashlar chimney stack to vestry. Plan: nave, chancel, south porch and west tower with vestry at east end of nave. Early English style. The old church was completely rebuilt in 1880 - 1 with a tower added in 1889. Exterior: 3 stage crenellated tower with crocketted pinnacles. No west doorway, plate tracery style belfry lights and trefoil-headed lancet on west side with carved headstops. Nave has windows of similar style to belfry openings. Chancel has pointed lancets, its east window is of 3 stepped lights with trefoiled and cinquefoiled heads and a recessed panel below which has a carved cross in high relief. Vestry projects from east end of nave with small gablet and shoulderd head doorway facing west. South porch has tall stone coped gable and low eaves, chamfered 4-centred arch with moulded imposts. Interior: south doorway has a 2-centred arch with roll moulding. The original decorative scheme survives complete and is in rich contrast to the church's fairly simple exterior. The effect is achieved by colourful stencil work covering the roof timbers to nave and chancel which are arch-braced collar beam and hammer beam roofs respectively the latter with carved angels. The decorative effect is enhanced by coloured floor tiles which are more ornate to the chancel. The chancel has a sedilia and piscina in its south wall. Late C19 timber tower screen. Good C12 cushion font whicn has foliage decoration carved only on one side and has a modern shaft. Kelly's Directory: 1906.

Listing NGR: SS4869606328