Parish Church of St Matthias

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 14/09/2012


SX9364
885-1/15/410
10/01/75


TORQUAY
ST MATTHIAS CHURCH ROAD, Ilsham
(South West side)
Parish Church of St Matthias


(Formerly listed as Parish Church of St Matthew)


(Formerly Listed as ST MATTHIAS CHURCH ROAD, Ilsham
Church of St Matthias)


GV
II*


Parish church. 1858 to the designs of A Salvin; south aisle
and south transept added 1865; chancel lengthened and other
alterations 1882-1885 by JL Pearson; west bay and porch 1894
by Pearson. Local grey limestone rubble; Bathstone dressings;
slate roofs.
PLAN: Chancel; nave with 3-bay north and south aisles; north
and south transepts, the north with a bellcote; north west
porch; open northex at west end.
EXTERIOR: Chancel lower than nave. Fine west end ensemble with
triple 2-light Geometric Decorated west end windows, divided
by buttresses above a 3-bay open arcaded narthex with moulded
arches on cylindrical columns, the side walls rising as
massive buttresses with set-offs. 4-light Decorated traceried
windows with king mullions to west ends of aisles. Narthex
with stone vaulted roof. North side (show front) with
buttressed aisle, aisle roof concealed behind parapet; 3
one-light traceried clerestory windows; two 2-light traceried
aisle windows. Western bay of aisle has gabled porch with
angle buttresses with gabled finials; moulded doorway with
bellflowers on octagonal shafts; gable with 3 nodding ogee
statue niches with carved figures. North transept has 3-light
window with intersecting tracery. Bell tower attached to west
transept has a chamfered corner and octagonal base to belfry
which has louvred trefoil-headed windows and a stone spire
with lucarnes. Lean-to vestry to north side of chancel which
has 4-light Decorated traceried east window with a moulded
string stepping up below the sill. C20 church room attached to
south-west side.
INTERIOR: Moulded chancel arch on engaged columns with
naturalistic foliage carving. 3-bay aisles with double
hollow-chamfered arches on alternate cylindrical and octagonal
columns with moulded capitals. Chancel roof a boarded, keeled
wagon with moulded ribs and blind traceried wall panels;
ceilure over sanctuary; keeled boarded wagon roof to nave with
tie beam trusses on detached shafts. Chancel arch clad with
timber tracery. Lean-to aisle roofs with traceried braces. Low
arches into transepts. Good set of High Victorian fittings to
the chancel. Marble and tile floor; 1882 alabaster reredos
with statues by Hems of Exeter; chancel walls clad with
moasics with alabaster frames, probably by Powe.
Trefoil-headed sedilia and piscina. Wrought-iron sanctuary
rail. Set of sturdy choir stalls with traceried panels;
alabaster and wrought-iron chancel rail. Brass eagle lectern.
Elaborate 1894 alabaster and local marble pulpit with figures
of the evangelists; west end screen with glazed traceried
panels. Fine set of C19 windows includes Clayton & Bell in the
chancel, Drake in the aisle, west window probably to the
designs of Morris Drake.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1952-1989:
P.851).


Listing NGR: SX9319164173

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

390793

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Devon, (1989), 851
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: South Devon, (1952), 851

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.