Details
HOLLACOMBE HOLLACOMBE
SS 30 SE
1/86 Church of St Petrock
14.2.58
GV II
Parish church. Nave probably C13 in origin, chancel and west tower C14, substantial
restoration of the 1880s. Stone rubble with freestone and granite dressings, slate
roofs, C19 crested ridge tiles. Beatrix Cresswell describes the church as "one of
the most venerable in the Diocese" for its pre-Conquest foundation that may date back
to the C6. The lintel of the inner doorway is probably C12 and a lancet window
suggests that parts of the nave may date from the C13 although the masonry has been
thoroughly renewed in the 1880s. The chancel of what was probably a small nave and
chancel church of the C13 was rebuilt in the C14 when the west tower was probably
added. In the C15 the west window was inserted and the north side may have been
refenestrated. The 1880s restoration renewed most of the nave and chancel masonry
and refenestrated the north and south sides but probably in the style of the windows
then extant. Small aisleless church with a saddleback west tower, a south porch and
a nave and chancel of equal width. The east wall has timber verges to the gable and
a 2-light C14 Decorated Polyphant window with a replaced mullion: 2 trefoil-headed
lights below a plate tracery roundel slightly recessed with a C19 hoodmould and label
stops below a relieving arch. The south chancel window is a trefoil-headed lancet of
the 1880s which may be a copy of a late C13 or early C14 lancet. The nave chancel
division externally is marked by C19 buttresses with set-offs to the north and south
sides, a gabled stone ventilation pot on the ridge and a change in the design of the
crested ridge tiles. A 2-light C19 Decorated window with plate tracery and hoodmould
below a relieving arch to the east of the porch; the chamfered lancet with relieving
arch and deep internal splay to the west of the porch may be a C19 copy of a previous
Early English lancet. Angle buttresses with set-offs to the west end of the nave are
C19. The north side has two 2-light square-headed C19 Perpendicular cusped windows
with hoodmoulds and label stops. The 2 stage largely rebuilt saddleback west tower
has a plinth, string course and coped gables with kneelers to the north and south.
The tower has no west doorway and a late C15/early C16 uncusped granite 3-light west
window with hoodmould and label stops. The west, north and south faces have round-
headed chamfered belfry openings with slate louvres, renewed in the C19. The small
south porch has a coped gable with kneelers and an unmoulded 2-centred outer doorway.
The interior of the porch has a C19 collar rafter roof and an unusual inner doorway.
The chamfered stopped jambs are probably recut or replacements of the 1880s, moulded
imposts support a straight lintel which may be C13 or earlier in origin: short
sections of cable moulding flank 3 recut stylized flowers in roundels with recut
fleur de lis between. A plain tympanum above contains a small rectangular block of
volcanic stone carved with the crucifixion below a trefoil-headed arch; figure
carving below similar arches is visible on the left and right returns. The carving
does not appear to be in situ and is probably C13 or C14. Pevsner suggests that it
is part of a lantern cross.
Interior Rendered walls to nave and chancel with the remains of limewash on the
interior of the tower. 1880s double chamfered chancel arch springing from moulded
corbels, 1880s double chamfered tower arch, the outer order dying into the walls. 4-
bay arch braced nave roof of the 1880s springing from moulded timber corbels with a
moulded wallplate. Canted boarded 1880s waggon roof to the chancel with moulded
wallplates, ribs and carved bosses. 1880s tiling of unusual design to the nave and
surprisingly elaborate on the chancel step for the size fo the church. Altar step
tiling probably exists but is concealed by a carpet. Modest fittings: no reredos
lectern, or pulpit. Timber altar rail with moulded standards and spandrels of
pierced carving. A reading desk of the C19 contains barley sugar balusters which are
probably reused, C19 tower screen with barley sugar balusters. Set of modest square-
headed bench ends, probably of the 1880s, with moulded rails. Plain octagonal
medieval font bowl, probably C14, on a later octagonal stem with a C19 font cover of
4 crocketted pierced brackets with a crocketted finial. 2 stained glass chancel
windows of 1888. Lying against the north boundary bank of the churchyard are
three C18 slate headstones; one to William Dunn, the other two to the daughters
of Charles --rown, and Thomas --rowne. The saddleback tower and C14 east window
are unusual survivals in the county, although the tower has been thoroughly
rebuilt and the saddleback design may not be of medieval origin.
Pevsner, North Devon (1952).
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
90787
Legacy System:
LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
End of official list entry
