Church of St James

Details

SX 39 SW LUFFINCOTT LUFFINCOTT

4/22 Church of St James

14.2.58

GV I

Parish church, now redundant. Some C15 features, largely rebuilt in the late C18, C20 renovations. Stone rubble with granite and polyphant dressings, slate roof with C19 crested ridge tiles. A very small church with west tower, nave and chancel with no internal or external division, south west porch. The dimensions of the building may be C13, the extant fabric retains some late C15 Perpendicular features but was thoroughly rebuilt in the late C18 (datestones of 1761 and 1791) in a plain Gothic style reusing old masonry. Modest C19 restoration, and rebuilding of the east wall possibly by J.P. St Aubyn, C20 renovations. The masonry and plinth suggest a long history of rebuilding. Gabled east end with bargeboards covered by decoratively-cut slates, deeply recessed 3-light granite Perpendicular window with cusped lights, heavily-moulded architrave, hoodmould and label stops. The south side of the nave has a datestone of 1761 and 2 late C15 2-light square-headed granite windows with cusped lights, hoodmoulds and label stops. The north side has a foliage carved late C15 wallplate, probably originally sited inside the church, and is remarkable for having its medieval windows replaced with two 24-pane sashes, probably dating from 1761, or earlier in the C18. The sashes have heavy glazing bars which are ovolo-moulded to the interior. Small unbuttressed battlemented 2-stage west tower, not tied in to the nave masonry, with obelisk pinnacles on square bases with obelisk finials. A slate on the south side is inscribed "This Tow'r was Rebuilt by Richard Sillifant Mason in 1791. John Venner. Ch. Warden. Edmund Spetigue. Peek. John Trible Worden. Pevsner comments that without the inscription the style of the tower would not show its date. The west face of the tower has a cinquefoil-headed 1-light chamfered window below a cambered granite hoodmould with a brick arch above. The north and south faces have 2-light square-headed timber belfry windows with slate louvres and flat stone arches. The gabled south porch has an unmoulded round-headed outer doorway, the arch with stone voussoirs springing from plain imposts. The porch roof has been plastered in the C20, the inner doorway is moulded polyphant with a segmental head. Interior Rendered walls, semi-circular tower arch probably C18, no chancel arch. Circa late C15 boarded waggon roof with carved bosses and chamfered ribs carved with flowers, some ancient colour survives. The moulded wallplates are either late C19 or C20 replacements and probably contemporary with the metal ties. The east end fittings have been removed. Plain octagonal granite font on octagonal stem could be medieval. Set of plain C19 benches with rectangular ends. Several C17 ledger stones pave the nave. The south west door is probably early C18 with 4 fielded panels and massive hinges with gudgeon hooks. Church said to have pre-Reformation bells. Access to the church is through the farmyard of Luffincott Barton (qv), and the church forms an attractive group with the Barton and associated farmbuildings. The C18 rebuilding of the church (and the sash windows) is of considerable historic interest in a county where C18 renovations have usually been obscured by mid to late C19 restoration. Pevsner, North Devon (1952).

Listing NGR: SX3323494655

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

90676

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Devon North, (1952)

End of official list entry

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