Church Of St Andrew

The Church of St Andrew is a parish church in Perpendicular style located on the east end of Fore Street. It comprises an early 15th-century tower with late 15th-century nave and aisles, extensively restored in 1856 and again in 1905.

The church is constructed of rendered granite on the aisle and porch walls, with the tower built of small dressed granite blocks. The rebuilt chancel is of similar stone, though the sanctuary walls internally are of Beerstone. Dressed granite and Beerstone detail are used throughout the doors and windows. The nave and chancel have slate roofs with gable ends, while the aisles have flat lead roofs. A chamfered plinth runs around the church except at the chancel.

The most imposing feature is the four-stage west tower with battlemented top. The tower is slightly corbelled out from the top stage and has a pinnacle at each corner. A pentagonal stair turret on the south side features narrow slit windows at each stage. Diagonal buttresses with weatherings flank each corner of the tower. The top stage has two-light round-headed belfry openings on three sides. The second stage on the south side contains a narrow single light window. The west face displays a wide granite doorway with a four-centred arch, double chamfered with cushion stops and a relieving arch above. A window above is entirely restored, though the double relieving arch above it is original. Shallow arched niches exist either side and above at the second stage, with inscribed initials on the stone. A further niche on the top stage above the belfry opening contains a late 20th-century statue. The north side of the tower at the second stage has a narrow light with chamfered surround and arched head. According to the Register of Bishop Edmund Stafford, a tower was added to a smaller earlier church in 1418, which was subsequently replaced by the present nave and aisles.

The north aisle windows appear to be late 19th- or early 20th-century restorations in granite and Beerstone with buttresses either side. A pentagonal rood stair turret towards the left end rises taller than the aisle and is battlemented, as are both aisles. The north chapel projects forward from the aisle with buttresses and a central large Perpendicular style window, with two square-headed mullion windows below. The chancel to the left has possibly original windows on its north and south sides, with some reused fabric in the east window.

The south aisle windows are late 19th- or early 20th-century restorations with intermediate buttresses and setback buttresses at the east end. A slightly projecting demi-hexagonal rood stair turret rises above the second buttress from the right. A diagonal buttress marks the west end of the aisle.

The two-storey south porch dates from the 16th century. It has a pointed four-centred granite arched doorway with ovolo moulding on inside and outside with cushion stops. A rectangular niche stands above, topped by a two-light Beerstone mullion window with cinquefoil heads and delicately carved foliage in the spandrels. An eroded coat of arms appears above, and the cill has been renewed in granite. The porch contains stone seats either side and an arched holy water stoup on the south wall. Two early 19th-century memorials to French soldiers are preserved here.

The church doorway has a granite pointed four-centred arch with double chamfer.

The spacious and light interior features a five-bay arcade on either side of the nave with octagonal piers having cushion stops but no separate bases. These appear considerably restored, as not all have stops and some have stops only on one side. There is no chancel arch. A pointed tower arch, chamfered, springs from a chamfered impost at the top of each respond.

Evidence of an earlier high-pitched roof on the east wall of the tower inside the church indicates the presence of a smaller church onto which the tower was added, subsequently replaced by the present nave and aisles.

The chancel was extended by almost half as much again during the 1904 restoration, though some features in the sanctuary such as a wide chamfered granite arch behind the incumbent's stall, the trefoil-headed piscina on the south wall, and an aumbry on the north wall have probably been reused. The waggon roof over the nave and chancel has moulded ribs and wall-plates and is either a heavy early 20th-century restoration or a reconstruction. The north and south aisles have flat panelled 20th-century ceilings.

The original rood screen was removed during the 1856 restoration, with part going to St Andrew's Church, Whitchurch and part to Powderham Castle. A new screen was erected in 1904. The doorways to the original rood screen remain visible.

Just outside the chancel stands a 15th-century granite octagonal font with moulded edges and base. The shaft and panels are decorated with shallow trefoil-headed niches. No stained glass earlier than the 19th century survives. The old pews were removed in 1856. In 1904 the gallery was removed from the west end of the nave and the 18th-century pulpit was replaced. Only a wooden carved angel sounding a trumpet, originally above the sounding board, remains of this pulpit. The organ dates from 1902.

During the 1856 restoration, flagstones on the floor were removed, so no tomb slabs survive.

A notable wall memorial above the south door commemorates Francis Whiddon, Master of Arts, who died on 5 January 1656 and was minister of the parish for 32 years. He was the son of Francis Whidden of Whidden in Chagford. Beneath the details of his family is a short elegiac poem. The memorial is rectangular, inscribed on slate with a plasterwork surround decorated with a shield and family coat of arms at top and bottom, and bunches of fruit and flowers around the edge.