Church Of St Mary

This parish church is mainly mid to late 14th century, though the chancel may be earlier and the porch is probably early 15th century. Various repairs were made in the 19th century and a thorough restoration took place in 1891-2. The walls are of granite and slate rubble with granite dressings, while the tower is constructed of coursed dressed granite blocks of irregular sizes. The nave, chancel and porch have gable-ended slate roofs, the south aisle has a flat roof, and the north aisle a lean-to roof. The present plan comprises nave, chancel, west tower, north and south aisles (with the south aisle extending as far as the west side of the tower), south porch and vestry on the south side of the tower.

The earliest feature is the late Norman font. It has been suggested that the base of the tower and the square bases of the arcade piers are also Norman, but there is no direct evidence for this. The chancel appears earlier than the nave and aisles from its far more modest proportions and slightly earlier window type, likely circa early 14th century. In 1335 or 1336 the patronage of the church was transferred to Bishop Grandisson of Exeter, and it is likely that he initiated a major rebuild to lofty proportions with a nave and two aisles of comparable dates, as evidenced by the arcades. However, there is evidence that originally this rebuild was envisaged on a larger and more ambitious scale with transepts and possibly an extension of the nave to the west of the tower. This is suggested by a blocked arch visible externally on the north side of the tower and an arch inside the tower on the south side dividing it from the aisle. There is no west doorway and although no comparable arch can be seen on the west side of the tower, it appears externally that some blocking has taken place where one might have been expected. The south porch was added circa early 15th century.

Internally the church was enhanced by wall paintings which appear to date mainly from circa early 17th century, although some might be medieval. The lean-to to the north of the tower incorporates some 14th-century features but is more likely to be 19th century, re-using earlier material. Numerous repairs were made in the 19th century, and White's Directory of 1818 relates that the windows had been lately restored and half the church reseated.

Exterior

The unbuttressed three-stage tower has battlements but no pinnacles. It has two-light belfry openings with arched heads to the lights. On the second stage of the south side is a single lancet. There is no west doorway and the west wall of the tower has three buttresses against its lowest stage. Also on this stage the dressed granite is interrupted at the centre by random rubble which is roughly in the outline of a tall arch. A small two-light window with Decorated tracery is probably a 19th-century restoration. The tower has a square stair turret on its north-west corner, the last stage of which is octagonal and rises higher than the tower.

On the north wall of the tower, extending half way up the first stage, is a blocked arch with the outline of a gable roof above it. Built in front of it is a small lean-to which re-uses a 14th-century ogee-headed stone doorway with a similar narrow one-light window to its right.

The north aisle has three late Decorated three-light windows with reticulated tracery which probably dates from 19th-century restoration. The hoodmoulds of the central and western windows incorporate carved stone masks which may have been re-used from the Norman church. The western window has been reduced in length for the insertion below of a probably 16th-century granite four-centred arched doorway with roll moulding. At the west end of the aisle against its north wall is the springing of half an arch and there is also the trace here of a wall projecting to the north, perhaps originally intended as the foundation for the transept. The aisle has a chamfered plinth and intermediate buttresses with a diagonal one at the east corner. Its east window is similar to the others.

The chancel has two windows on either side which are two-light cusped lancets with a quatrefoil above, circa early 14th century in style but probably restored. The east window is three-light with similar style tracery to those of the aisles although slightly more elaborate. Between the two south windows of the chancel is a probably late 14th-century stone doorway with pointed arch in rebated chamfered surround and with moulded arched hoodmould.

The south aisle is battlemented and to the east of the porch has two tall restored windows in similar style to the north aisle. The window to the west of the porch is two-light and slightly later in style with cinquefoil heads to the lights and quatrefoil above. The aisle has intermediate buttresses and a diagonal one at the east corner. At its west end is a pentagonal stair turret set on the corner. The west end wall of the aisle contains a lancet window which may have been re-used from the earlier fabric.

The single-storey south porch is faced with granite ashlar with a four-centred arched granite doorway which has double hollow and roll moulding, carved spandrels and a heavy hoodmould.

Interior

The south porch retains its original wagon roof with ribs and principals carved with running leaf motif and decorative carved bosses. The Holy Water stoup has an arched opening and projecting bowl. The south doorway is of granite with a round-headed arch, hollow roll and hollow moulding and carved spandrels. The heavy studded oak door of overlapping planks with moulded edges is probably 17th century.

The three-bay arcades are of Polyphant stone with Pevsner B-type piers which have crenellated moulded square capitals. The moulded bases rest on rough square bases which it has been suggested were the columns of an earlier church; this cannot be proved and the only definite explanation that can be given is of a change or projected change in the floor level. The tall four-centred arches to the arcades have the moulding of the piers extended; the chancel arch is similar. The very tall tower arch has moulded piers with high carved capitals and cushion stops. A double-chamfered pointed arch on plain responds connects the tower and south aisle. Surprisingly, however, it is not exactly in line with the blocked arch on the north side of the tower.

The windows have chamfered rear arches, which in the north aisle incorporate carved stone masks similar to those on the outside of the window frames. There is a pointed arched doorway to the rood stairs through which there is a squint to the chancel from the south aisle.

There are extensive remains of wall paintings to the north and south aisles which are in the process of being restored. That on the north wall portrays a number of almost life-size figures probably representing the twelve apostles. Other sections of painting depict soldiers and an officer wearing armour and there are various panels of Biblical text which are bordered by stylized floral and architectural devices. The style of the armour and nature of the texts suggests an early 17th-century date but earlier work could well be incorporated and more may be uncovered.

The nave has a saddle roof; the principal rafters are moulded and extend partly down the walls to rest on corbels. The ribs are also moulded and at the intersections are large bosses ornately carved in the design of four-petal flowers: all but two of these however are replacements. The wall-plates are carved and have flat bosses on them. The aisles have flat panelled roofs and the chancel has a wagon roof which is now completely plastered over.

Two sections of panelling survive from the 15th-century rood screen which show signs of painting although this is likely to be restored colour. The bench ends are all late 19th century.

The late Norman font is of Tintagel stone, square with marks at the corners and each side carved with a star surmounted by a two-headed dragon. It has a short stout octagonal shaft. (Another very similar exists at Jacobstow, North Cornwall).

Three floor memorials survive at the east end of the nave, all with border inscriptions with the dates 1603 and 1635 legible on two but otherwise much worn.

The only old glass that survives is now in the vestry having been moved twice but originating in the south-east window and bearing the arms of the Burnby family who were important landowners in the late medieval times. The stained glass filling the other windows dates from the late 19th century and commemorates members of the Manning family, of whom Elizabeth Manning was lady of the manor in the late 19th century and a great benefactor of the church.

This church raises interesting questions as to its projected plan in the 14th century, which, if carried out as was originally apparently intended, would have made it remarkably grand for such a small and remote village. The further importance of the building lies in the preservation of much medieval structure enhanced by the remarkable survival of a large amount of wall paintings.