Church Of St Andrew

Church of St Andrew, Sampford Courtenay

This is a parish church of the 15th and early 16th centuries, substantially restored in 1899. It is constructed of granite ashlar for the tower, south aisle and porch, while the north aisle, chancel and nave are built of stone rubble. The roof is gable-ended and covered in slate.

The church comprises a nave, chancel, north and south aisles, a west tower and a south porch. The variation in stonework suggests two different building campaigns. The nave, chancel and north aisle appear to pre-date the south aisle, which is of higher quality and early 16th-century in style. The tower's stonework corresponds to the south aisle and porch, and it was likely added during the early 16th-century remodelling. The vestry at the east end of the chancel is of uncertain date but resembles the south aisle in style with its battlements, though it may be a later traditional addition. The rood screen was removed in 1831 and later partially reconstructed by Herbert Read of Exeter. In 1899, architect G. Fellowes Prynne directed a major restoration during which new roof timbers were installed, the west gallery was removed and new tracery was inserted in the south aisle windows.

Exterior

The imposing west tower rises in three stages and is battlemented with crocketted pinnacles, set-back buttresses and a moulded plinth. The large granite west doorway has a 4-centred head richly moulded with quatrefoils in the spandrels, surrounded by a heavily moulded square frame with hoodmould above. The 4-light Perpendicular west window features a row of quatrefoils in a panel below, and 3-light belfry openings have simple tracery. A small ogee-headed light appears on the north side of the second stage, with slit lights for stairs adjoining the front buttress.

The north aisle has three 3-light early 16th-century tall granite mullion windows with segmental heads and square hoodmoulds. Between the right-hand pair is a moulded granite north doorway with 4-centred head. A rectangular projection between the aisle and south chapel housed the rood stair turret. At the east end of the aisle is a 3-light Perpendicular window with renewed tracery. The north side of the chancel has similar but smaller windows to the aisle.

At the east end of the chancel stands a single-storey battlemented vestry. The 5-light east window is of late Perpendicular style with segmental heads and smaller lights above forming an arch.

The south aisle is battlemented. Its three most easterly windows match those on the north aisle. A small priest's door has a granite jamb and a 2-centred arched red sandstone head. The remaining south aisle windows are completely restored in Perpendicular style, separated by shallow buttresses.

The crenellated single-storey south porch has set-back buttresses, a moulded plinth and a richly moulded 4-centred doorway with an arched hoodmould.

Interior

The interior contains a 2-centred arched granite south doorway with double roll and fillet moulding, and a possibly contemporary oak plant door in two parts with a very large wooden lock. Granite seats with chamfered soffits are present. The internal walls carry 20th-century render.

The north arcade consists of five bays of granite with double-chamfered 4-centred arches and Pevsner A-type piers. These have foliage-carved capitals except for the most easterly arch which has moulded cup capitals. The south arcade is of Polyphant stone for its first three bays and of granite for the remainder, with 4-petal flower carving to the capitals of the Polyphant piers except for the most easterly which is plain. Both arcades feature moulded cup capitals on the easternmost piers. A tall 4-centred moulded tower arch with imposts divides the nave from the tower space. In the south-west corner is a small pointed-arch granite doorway to stairs.

The nave, chancel and north aisle retain medieval wagon roofs. Those of the nave and chancel have carved 4-petal flower decoration to the ribs and large bosses of various designs, with carved wall plates in foliage or trailing vine patterns. Where timbers or bosses were replaced during the 1899 restoration, they are stained darker to distinguish them from the original work. The ceilure and timber arch over the nave-chancel division and carved angels below each rib in the chancel are late 19th-century additions. The north aisle has moulded ribs and smaller bosses. Above the south aisle is a probably early 16th-century flat panelled ceiling with carved flowers on the ribs and foliage or floral bosses. The south chapel has a wagon roof similar to that of the north aisle.

Dividing the south chapel from the south aisle is the rebuilt 15th-century wooden screen, which has had substantial parts reconstructed although some of the outer framework retains early green and red colouring.

Although a new pulpit was ordered by the rector in 1831, the existing mahogany pulpit appears to date from the 18th century, though it has been set on an oak base.

A 12th-century square tub font of Purbeck marble with arcading to the sides stands on a later octagonal granite pedestal and case.

An 18th-century marble wall memorial on the south chapel wall commemorates Rev. John Heath and his sister Hannah, who died in 1772 and 1768 respectively.

This is an important medieval church with an impressive exterior and notable interior.