Church of St Michael

Details

SS 53 NW
4/29

25.2.65
MARWOOD
MARWOOD VILLAGE
Church of St Michael

I

Parish Church, C13 fabric to chancel with two lancets to north side (recent) and
pointed south doorway. South transept with single lancet in east wall and
unmoulded pointed arch into nave. Battered plinth in north aisle indicates former
north transept and original cruciform plan. Nave, rest of north aisle and upper
stages of tower principally C15. Late C19 refenestration and reroofing. Slate
roof of late C19 slates with ridge resting on nave chancel. West tower of 3 stages
with pentagonal stairturret on north side with 6 small square openings. Embattled
parapet set-back buttresses to first stage only with elongated gravestone
apparently designed to be fixed onto eastern buttress of south wall. Small square-
headed opening on south and east side of second stage and four 2-light cusped bell-
openings with quatrefoil tracery in the heads, pierced in east and south wall but
blocked to north and west. All have pointed labels with returned ends. Slate
louvres below tracery. Mostly recut Perpendicular window at west end and C15 west
door with Pevsner 'B-type' moulding and flat-pointed arch. Embattled south porch
with flat-pointed arch supported on Pevsner 'A-type' moulded piers. Small unceiled
waggon roof of porch with some re-used timber. C14 south doorway with small
foliated corbels. International timed sundial dated 1762 by one John Berry. Two
square-headed perpendicular style windows of 3-lights with carved leaves in the
spandrels to each side of porch. North arcade of 5 bays with 'B-type' piers.
Capitals from western respond have 'Green man' foliage and berries then 3 fluerons
between plain shields then two piers with interlaced fern and leaf decoration then
one with continuous fern pattern and interlaced leaves in eastern respond.
Unceiled waggon roofs to chancel, nave, north aisle and south transept. Some
inserted timber to nave and chancel roof, but substantially intact. North aisle
more complete with carved bosses in the intersections of the ribs. North aisle has
6 bays of straightheaded Perpendicular windows of 3 lights each with slightly
curved arches. North door between second and third window from west end with
hollow chamfered flat pointed arch with small round-headed niche above. C14 3-
light window reset probably in C17, at east end of north aisle has pointed-arch
heads under gentle ogee arches. South transept has raised plain wooden pointed
arch door opening to blocked rood loft. Section of very fine early C16 rood screen
spanning north aisle only. Pevsner 'A type' tracery and complete ribbed coving of
3 bays, now missing its gallery front but its gallery back remains. Richly carved
panels recording the name of 'Sir John Beaupul', Parson of Marwood holding office
in 1520. Renaissance influence in carving. Similar to work by the carver of
Atherington screen. Large plasterwork Royal Arms at west end of north aisle 1763
datestone on its outside wall may indicate date of its erection. Early rectangular
font bowl lies at west end of next to replacement front with cover carved by John
Robinson. Some medieval floor tiles remain principally rear of new C17 pulpit. 13
C16 pews in nave 2.5 metres wide, with ornamental carved bench ends and moulded
backs. 3 choir stalls on north side with misercords. Monuments. East wall of
north aisle. Marble wall tablet with loric colonettes flanking inscription to Anne
Chichester of Westcote (died 1664). On north wall of north aisle a monument by J
Berry with urn and pedestal over Doric columns and frieze with inscription to an
owner of Ley (died 1765). Medallion below has palmettes with hour-glass above
north aisle north wall has marble wall monument to William Parminter (died in
Panama - 1737). Inquisitor General for the South Sea Company and other members of
his family. Inscription "This monument having lost its hold on the wall where it
had been fixed-fell on the floor and was much mutilated. A grateful recollection
of a respectable Ancestry imposed the necessity of its re-erection on a Surviving
Descendant C1821'. Corinthian pillars surmounted by seated figures to each side of
armorial shield and urn. Marble wall tablet on south wall of nave dated 1633.
Ionic colonnettes to each side of tablet with hour glass in pendant. At west end
on south wall nave a wall monument to William and Anthony Beard died 1652 aged 16
and 19. Two busts in high relief leaning on table with skull and hour glass.
Shields above with plaque below and painted medallions with biblical inscriptions
in surround to each side.
Some Old Devon Churches by John Stabb 1908.
Bells and bell frame not inspected; said to contain 6 bells cast in 1771.

Listing NGR: SS5440137561

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

98202

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Stabb, J, Notes on some Old Devon Churches, (1908)

End of official list entry

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