Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary, Sampford Courtenay

This church originally served the parish of Honeychurch and is now part of Sampford Courtenay parish. It is a Grade I listed building of exceptional interest, representing a small medieval church that has survived largely unrestored since the 17th century.

The building comprises a nave and chancel with a west tower and south porch. The fabric dates primarily to the 12th century, with significant additions made in the 15th century. The walls are constructed of stone rubble, roughly coursed, with the tower top stage rendered in roughcast. The roof is gabled and slated.

The two-stage west tower is crenellated with set-back buttresses extending almost to the top. The granite west doorway features a four-centred arched head with triple hollow moulding. The west window is of debased Perpendicular style with three lights and segmental heads. Belfry openings on one and two lights have pointed heads. A shallow rectangular stair projection rises on the north side of the tower.

On the north side of the nave is a late 15th-century granite mullion window with three lights, four-centred heads, and a square hoodmould. A 19th-century buttress sits between the nave and chancel. The east window, added in the 20th century, is of granite with three lights. On the south side of the chancel is a four-centred arched granite priest's door, above which is possibly an original lancet window with four-centred head. The nave south side has a 15th-century three-light granite and limestone mullion window with cinquefoil heads and square hoodmoulds. A similar two-light window of red sandstone lies to the west of the porch. The one-storey gabled south porch has a replaced segmental-headed wooden lintel to a plain doorway, which features a 19th-century wrought iron gate with fleur-de-lys finial and reeded iron posts flanking it.

Internally, the south doorway is a pointed four-centred granite arch with double hollow chamfer, retaining an early studded plank door. The chancel arch is of granite, moulded with four-centred head and moulded imposts. The tower arch has chamfered stone jambs and a recessed chamfered four-centred arch. Windows have chamfered rear arches. A small recess with rounded head and chamfered granite surround is located on the north wall of the nave. A small piscina appears on the south wall of the nave. Either side of the south doorway stand 20th-century carved granite corbels in the form of human masks.

The 12th-century tub font retains cable and chevron carving and is topped with an early 17th-century cupola-shaped font cover. Medieval benches survive on the north side of the aisle and to the west of the doorway, of very simple and crude construction, although the three nearest the chancel have carved ends with trefoil-headed panels. East of the doorway are 18th-century box pews. A remarkable panelled wooden pulpit of circa early 17th-century date features decorative floral carving to the top panels and geometric design carved on the underside of its integral lectern. Simple late 17th or early 18th-century altar rails with turned balusters and a gate of inverted segmental top complete the furnishings.

The 15th-century wagon roof displays four-petal flower carving on its ribs and wall-plates, with carved bosses. The porch roof has been totally renewed.

The internal walls retain their old plaster. Extensive remains of mural painting on the north wall depict the coat of arms of Elizabeth I with an illegible inscription below in Gothic script. One late 18th-century marble wall memorial commemorates members of the Dunning family.

This church represents a remarkable survival of a small medieval building that has virtually escaped 19th and 20th-century restoration, its interior remaining almost untouched since the 17th century and retaining unique charm.