Details
AWLISCOMBE AWLISCOMBE
SY 10 SW
5/14 Church of St Michael and All Angels
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GV I
Parish church. Largely late C15/early C16, apparently a single programme of
upgrading and enlargening an earlier building; described by Hoskins as "mostly
rebuilt in 1846"; reseating and restoration by Robert Medley Fulford in 1886-7 D.R.0.
Mostly local flint with Beerstone dressings; slate roof.
Plan: Nave, chancel, west tower, 5-bay north arcade (one bay to the chancel), south
transept, south porch adjoining transept, organ chamber and vestry adjoining the
chancel on the south side. Unusually grand, matching, late Perpendicular details
(panelled soffits to internal arches, a stone chancel screen) indicate a major
refashioning of the church in the late C15/early C16, probably associated with a
chantry to Thomas Chard, "probably titular bishop of Salubria" (Hoskins), who was
born at Tracey (q.v.) in the same parish. The rather awkward abutment of one of the
arcade piers against the chancel suggests that the chancel is earlier. The
vestry/organ chamber is 1886-7.
Exteior: Chancel with diagonal coped buttresses, ashlar-faced; 4-light transomed
Perpendicular east window, 2-light transomed south window, concealed externally by
the embattled 2-bay vestry and organ chamber (the organ chambr to the west has a
lean-to roof) with a diagonal south-east buttress and 2 eclectic late C19 traceried
windows flanking a co-eval 2-centred moulded doorframe. The embattled porch,
adjoining south transept, is unusual both for its elaboration and for having doorways
in both the south and west sides. It has a diagonal south west buttress in the
angles with set-offs with a shallow statue niche with a canopy and buttresses in the
angles with the nave and transept. Shallow statue niches survive over both doorways,
the west niche has lost its canopy work and all 3 statue niches have moulded bases of
Renaissance character. Both the south and west doorways are moulded with an order of
fleurons, matching the internal arch into the south transept. The steps to the west
doorway no longer exist. Inside, the porch has a shallow stone rib vault, the ribs
carried on corner shafts, with a central roundel and carved bosses. A cornice on the
east wall is decorated with fleurons and there are stone-topped benches. To the west
of the porch a 2-light probably C15 nave window below 2 re-set C12 or C13 corbles:
the masonry is disturbed here, possibly indicating a raising of the nave. The north
aisle has set-back buttresses at the west end a diagonal north-east buttress with 2
crude late buttresses on the north side (one concrete). Large 4-light Perpendicular
east window, 3-light Perpendicular west window above an embattled C19 store or boiler
room. 5 irregularly-spaced 3-light Perpendicular north windows and a probably C16
north door, the frame moulded with an almost flat arch and a hoodmould, the studded
plank door probably also C16. The south transept, probably the Chard chantry, has
wide buttresses with set-offs to the south face and a very large, grand 5-light south
window, entirely renewed in the C19 in Bathstone on the exterior but with medieval
masonry on the inner face. Medieval hollow-chamfered Beerstone jambs survive,
decorated with fleurons, the hoodmould has disappeared but C19 carved label stops
remain. The window is transomed, with tracery below the transom as well as above it,
with a second transom in the centre light. It has something of the grandeur of
Colyton west window, but on a smaller scale. The right (east) return of the transept
has a C16 square-headed volcanic window with trefoil-headed lights.
Embattled 3-stage west tower with moulded strings, gargoyles below the battlements
and an unsually large, rectangular, projecting south-east stair turret of diminishing
stages, the turret embattled and rising above the height of the tower proper. The
turret has slit windows and a 2-centred chamfered external doorway with steps up to
an early C19 Gothick door. The west face has a moulded 3-centred west doorframe with
a C19 door with elaborate strap hinges ; a 3-light Perpendicular west window, the
tracery C19, and a moulded stone frame to the clock. 2-light stone traceried belfry
windows on all 4 faces, extra rectangular opening on north face at belfry stage.
Interior: Plastered walls, some of the wall plaster early, possibly with
wallpaintings concealed by limewash, the remains of a painted Royal Arms survive over
the south door. Rounded chancel arch with a panelled soffit, similar tower arch with
a panelled soffit and shafts with capitals to each respond. 5-bay north arcade, the
piers diagonally-set with corner shafts, the capitals with carved foliage bosses and
the arches shallow-moulded. The eastern-most nave pier abuts the chancel arch rather
awkwardly. There is a double arch to the chancel, the inner arch with a panelled
soffit, possibly originally forming a canopy above a tomb chest. This suggests that
the east end of the north aisle is a remodelled chapel absorbed into the later north
aisle. The south transept arch also has a panelled soffit and shafts to the
responds, the arch is decorated with an order of fleurons. Late medieval ceiled
wagon roof to the nave with carved bosses, the ribs more closely-spaced at the
abutment with the chancel arch, forming a ceilure. North aisle roof also has a late
medieval ceiled wagon but the flatter well-carved bosses with probably modern
gilding. Nave roof probably dates from the 1886-7 restoration by Fulford: an open
wagon boarded behind with 2 tiers of cresting to the wall plate and heavy carved
bosses. Painted decoration of the 1880s by Palfrey of London. Ceiled wagon with
carved bosses to the south transept.
Grand 5-bay Beerstone chancel screen, presumably early C16 with considerable
restoration work. The screen has C19 battlements with a solid dado, a central Tudor
arched doorway decorated with fleurons on the soffit and jambs and 2-light traceried
openings to each bay with projecting demi-angels holding scrolls.
C19 and C20 chancel fitting. The traceried dado and matching communion rail to the
sancturary are probably early C20; commandment boards in elaborate stone frames with
ogee gables, pinnacles and a good Gothic script for the text are probably late 1840s
or 1850s, the poppyhead choir stalls may be of the same date incorporating some
medieval woodwork. Trabiated opening into the organ chamber-cum-vestry which was
added in the late 1880s by Fulford. Nave fitting also C19, a set of benches and a
matching,pulpit and timber lectern of 1887 designed by Fulford, carved by Hems of
Exeter. The font is probably C15; an octagonal Beerstone bowl carved with
quatrefoils, the stem with shallow panels and miniature buttresses. The south
transept window is especially fine, the jambs hollow-chamfered and decorated with
tracery and statue niches. Probably C18 hatchment hanging in the transept.
Monuments: Several white marble wall plaques: one to Daniel Pring, died 1791; a Greek
Medieval wall plaque to John Pring Esq of Ivedon (q.v.), died 1820 with a profile
head in a medallion, signed Peter Rouw, Modeller to His Majesty, New Rd., London;
plaque to Mary Elliott, died 1853, signed Rogers of Bath. In the chancel aisle a
wall monument to Captain Daniel Pring, died 1846 showing a bust in a framed niche,
signed Newman's, Sidmouth.
Stained Glass: Remains of a C15 or early C16 medieval scheme by the Doddiscombesleigh
school in the head tracery of the north aisle. 3 very fine C19 windows: the
excellent east windows in the north aisle and chancel probably 1860s and, on
stylistic grounds, probably by Haton, Butler and Bayne. The fine south window in the
transept is probably by Wailes, dated 1863. West window signed Wailes and Stang,
1887. Memorial window in the north aisle to Neumann (q.v. Tracey), dated 1898,
probably by Percy Bacon; memorial window in south aisle to Porter, 1913 by
Blanchford.
An unusual grand church with impressive Medieval and C19 features.
Devon Nineteenth Century Churches Project.
Listing NGR: ST1338201837
