CHURCH OF ST MARY

Overview

Location

Details

WOODLEIGH VILLAGE CENTRE SX 75 NW 5/126 Church of St Mary 26.1.67 GV II* Anglican parish church. Basic C14 plan, rebuilt after a fire in 1649 and much restored 1891. Slatestone with granite dressings, slate roof, clay ridges. West tower, nave, north and south transepts, south porch, chancel. Unbuttressed tower in 2 stages with slight offset, C19 embattled parapet on corbel table; double chamfered arch to C19 door under 3-light C19 Perpedicular window. South and north faces have slit in lower stage, and bell stage has shouldered louvred light to each face. Nave south side has a C19 three-light and C14 three-light incusped window either side of gabled porch with apex cross and slate sundial of 1707 over plain round arched doorway, to pointed inner doorway with remains of ware mould; Good arch-braced roof with moulded purlin and central principal. Nave has chamfered granite eaves course. South transept has 3-light round- headed under square stopped hood mould, above which a recessed slate slab with inscription R 1647 C, slit above; east wall has 3-light incusped to flat arch, as nave. Chancel with lower roof line and without gable coping, has 3-light cusped to square head; east end, with angle buttresses in 2 offsets, has 3-light C19 Perpendicular under a stone consecration panel dated AD 1891; north side a 2-light in square head. North transept is rendered, has 1891 doorway, a 3-light Perpendicular window, and a small cusped light set low. Nave north wall is plain, and the building is set into the slope on this side. Stack to north transept ridge. Interior: tower is unplastered, heavy unmoulded arch to nave which is on a tiled floor with plain walls, hollow mould rere-arches to windows, C19 ceiled barrel roof. Low, unmoulded pointed arch to south transept on wood block floor, C19 barrel roof, plain walls; north transept through higher plain arch, part tiled floor, barrel ceiling, granite segmental arch to door to east. Chancel, up one step, on tiles, plain walls, pointed ceiled barrel; 4 marble steps to altar with dossal. Fittings and monuments: octagonal Transitional font bowl in granite, two pointed sunk panels to each face; C19 benches, Eagle lectern, pulpit and granite base, 5 wall monument, 7 suspended oil lamps. South transept has good early C20 carved wooden altar. In chancel a C19 piscina, but C14 Easter Sepulchre serving as enclosure to monument to Sir Thomas Smyth, Rector, 1492-1527. Tomb chest in ogee-arched recess, figures of St Peter and St Paul below four mutilated figures; scroll with abbreviated Latin inscription. Altar is flanked by Decalogue painted on ogee-headed panels in good C19 detail; also a faience painted panel in alabaster surround, 1898, to Zoe Irene Suther- land Sands. Gothick white marble tablet of 1850; suspended oil lamps, but electricity also fitted. (Pevsner, N; South Devon 1952; Slader,J M; The Churches of Devon; 1968).

Listing NGR: SX7378648842

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

99577

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: South Devon, (1952)
Slader, J M , The Churches of Devon, (1968)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.