Parish Church Of St Decuman

BRENDON ROAD 1. 5366 Parish church of St Decuman ST 0642 3/1 12.6.50 I GV

1. C13 Chancel, otherwise mainly C15. Stands back from Brendon Road on a prominent site overlooking the town. Restored and reseated by J P St Aubyn in 1886-91, further internal alterations in 1896 when the Caen stone reredos erected. Local grey squared random stonework, Chancel rendered. Slate roofs with ridge tiles. Church consists of tower, Chancel, nave of 3 bays, aisles, 2 side chapels and south porch. West tower in 3 stages, set-back buttresses, higher stair turret, battlements. Four-light west window, 3-light bell openings with transom and tracery. Small statue in niche on south side of tower probably depicting St Decuman. North aisle embattled with quatrefoils in the crenelations, embattled rood stair turret, four 3-light windows. East window, 3-light with bar tracery. South aisle has four 3-light windows with tracery. South porch with C15 doorway, floor in chessboard pattern of slates set on edge. Interior has finely carved wagon-roofs with leaftrail carving running along wall plates relieved by array of shield bearing angels. Angels with emblems of the passion to south aisle roof. Decorated roof bosses. Carved oak rood screen with 4-light divisions, main arches divided into 2-light sub-arches. Jacobean oak pulpit with tester, Wyndham family pew with finely carved foliage and date 1688. Wyndham Chapel at east end of north aisle contains good C16 and C17 family memorials. C15 octagonal font, plain bowl with narrow moulding above and below supported on carved angels, stem ornamented with panels. Late medieval encaustic tiles to chancel floor relaid in 1896, others set in a frame on north aisle wall. Large ledgerstone to Thomas Wyndham (died 1671) in chancel, reads: "Here lies Beneath this Ragged Stone One more His Princes than his own And in his marterd Fathers warrs Lost Fortune Blood Gained Nought but scarrs And for his sufferings as rewarde His neather countinence or regard And Earth affording noe release is gone to Heavon to ease his Greefe".

Listing NGR: ST0649842708