Former Church Of St Martin

NORTH TAWTON SS 70 SW 7/64 Former Church of St Martin 22.2.67 II* Former church, now in use as agricultural store. Late C13 with C17 porch, restored in 1983-4. Sandstone rubble walls. Gable ended Delabole slate roof. Plan: simple rectangular plan with no division between nave and chancel. Small porch added on south side in C17. Restored in 1983-4 leaving most of the structure intact, only the porch being slightly altered. Exterior: original fenestration is intact and consists of single light cusped lancets on south side and 3-light lancet with pointed arched heads, central light taller, at east end and to nave south window right of porch. Single storey porch to left of centre on south side, originally had an elliptical arched wooden lintel to outer doorway, this has been rebuilt in brick. The south doorway of the church was rebuilt in the C17 and has a round-headed ovolo-moulded stone arch. C17 studded plank door. At the west gable end a restored stone bellcote surmounts the apex with a ball finial and wrought iron cross. Around the walls are irregularly spaced putlog holes. Interior: undecorated common rafter wagon roof survives which was at one time plastered, it may not be original but is probably before 1600. Above the timbers are rough pegged wooden boards forming a lining beneath the slates. Crenellated wall-plates. The windows have deep internal splays with dressed quoins. The walls inside have old plaster and limewash coating. No internal fittings survive. This church originally served the ancient parish of Broad Nymet which consisted of only 42 acres and was subsequently absorbed into North Tawton. Unaltered small Early English Churches are particularly unusual and it is probaby due to its change of use that this building survives as such.

Listing NGR: SS7023300945