Church of St Mary

Details

SX 38 NE LIFTON LIFTON

2/142 Church of St Mary - 21.3.67 GV I

Parish church. C12 font, parts of the chancel and chancel chapel arches C14, the rest C15 and C16. Mostly dressed stone brought to course, ashlar masonry porch, slate roof, granite dressings. Largely Perpendicular church of nave, chancel, south aisle, south chancel chapel, west tower, north porch and north east vestry. Of the C12 church only the font remains. The C14 church had a south chancel chapel and the surviving respond and arch of the chancel and a respond to the chancel chapel arch are close enough to work at Kelly church (q.v.) to suggest the same shop of masons. In the late C15 the nave, chancel and chancel chapel were remodelled and the west tower was built. It is said that during the 1871 restoration evidence of an earlier tower was discovered on the north side. The south aisle and south porch are post Reformation (Honey) financed by William Harris of Hayne who purchased the manor in 1555. Documentation of 1836 refers to work on a "transept". Before the major restoration of 1871 the fabric, with the exception of the tower, was described as "very unsatisfactory" and the 1871 work comprised the rebuilding of the chancel and chancel chapel arches, the lowering of the nave floor and a reseating. The east wall of the chancel has a coped gable and a deeply-recessed 3-light arched Perpendicular window with Y tracery, some stonework replaced. The roof has been widened and there is evidence of rebuilding in the gable. The south chancel chapel has a coped east gable and a deeply-recessed 3-light Perpendicular east window with a hoodmould and a square-headed 3-light C16 south window with hoodmould, label stops and replaced mullions. An arched granite priest's door on the south side looks late C19 or C20. The south aisle of roughly-dressed coursed stone with some slate lacing has 2 C19 buttresses with set-offs and 4 3-light square-headed C19 stone windows and one 3- light square-headed C16 granite window all with hoodmoulds and label stops. The west wall of the aisle has a coped gable and a 3-light Perpendicular arched granite widow with hoodmould, label stops and replaced mullions. 3-light square-headed granite north window to the chancel has hoodmould, label stops and replaced mullions. The rectangular 1871 vestry has a chamfered granite doorway on the east side, and a 3- light square-headed window on the north side with hoodmould and label stops, the heads of the lights look C16. To the west of the vestry is an arched chamfered pulpit window. 2 square-headed granite 3-light Perpendicular windows to the nave have hoodmoulds and label stops, 5 mullions replaced. Large 2-storey C16 porch with embattled parapet has a polygonal corner stair turret on the west side and moulded arched doorway with carved spandrels under a square-headed hoodmould with carved label stops. An ogee-headed statue niche above the doorway is crowned with an engaged finial. The fine C15 3-stage embattled west tower has ashlar set-back buttresses with set-offs and an internal north-west stair turret with quatrefoil lights. The tower has a plinth below a moulded string course, strings marking the stages and large octagonal corner pinnacles with crocketted finials. The arched moulded west doorway has carved spandrels below a square-headed hoodmould with carved label stops. A deeply-recessed 4-light Perpendicular west window (mullions replaced) has a hoodmould, label stops and a frieze of blind quatrefoils in roundels above the sill. The south face of the tower has a chamfered 4-centred arched opening at the bellringers' stage. 3-light Perpendicular traceried belfry opening with hoodmoulds and label stops to all 4 faces of the tower. Interior 6-bay Perpendicular granite south arcade, 2-bays to the chancel. The piers are monoliths of 4 shafts and 4 hollows with moulded capitals of various designs. The C14 moulded freestone chancel arch is carried on a moulded freestone north respond with a carved capital (q.v. Kelly church) and on a large granite corbel to the south. The C19 granite arch into the south chancel chapel has a similar arrangement with a C14 respond to the south and a C19 granite corbel to the north. The heavily-moulded tower arch springs high up from carved capitals on moulded shafts. Ceiled waggons to the nave and to the chancel are boarded, with ribs with fleurons and carved bosses and look largely medieval. The south aisle and chancel chapel ceiled waggon roofs look C19. The chancel has a gabled timber reredos of 1910 with blind tracery and pinnacles flanked by stone communion panels with an ambitious architectural stone surround of circa 1840 with pinnacles, crocketted finials and tabernacle work. A trefoil-headed piscina on the south wall could be C14. C19 tiling to chancel. Fine C12 font with a square bowl with chamfered corners below 4 carved heads with angular profiles, the sides of the bowl carved with intersecting round-headed blind arcading, leaves and dog tooth ornament. The bowl is on an octagonal plinth and base. 5-sided timber drum pulpit of 1910 has pierced tracery sides on a stem with struts. 1871 rectangular bench ends and contemporary choir stalls with poppy heads. 1910 timber eagle lectern on elaborate pinnacled base. 2 C16 panels with arabesque carving, possibly part of a screen, fixed to the west wall. A C17 monument in coloured marbles to members of the Harris family dominates the north wall of the chancel. 3 alabaster three quarter size figures kneel on a moulded half-chest on a plinth. The figures are divided by 4 Roman Ionic columns supporting an entablature crowned by 4 obelisks and 3 tall gabled inscription panels with putti lounging on the pediments. The monument is probably 1630 and commemorates Sir William, Sir Arthur and Lady Florence Harris, died 1590, 1618 and 1631. An inscription states that it was repaired and beautified in 1762 and 1795. a monument on the south wall of the chancel chapel commemorates John and Margaret Dynham of Wortham (q.v.) died 1641 and 1649. A central cartouche with an armorial bearing in relief is flanked by Corinthian columns supporting a pediment containing a bearded figure, putti and obelisks above, inscription panel below. Some ancient colour survives. A brass plaque to John Harris de Hayne, died 1657 with armorial bearings above an inscription is fixed to the north wall of the chancel chapel. East window of circa 1905 is probably by Drake of Exeter, north chancel window by Beer and Driffield. Royal arms of William IV on the north wall of the nave. Beatrix Cresswell 'Churches in the Deanery of Tavistock' MS in West Country Studies Library. St Mary's Church Lifton History (1978) Devon Nineteenth Century Churches Project

Listing NGR: SX3863385016

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

92386

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
St Mary's Church Lifton History, (1978)
Cresswell, B F, Notes on Devon Churches in the Deanery of Tavistock, ()

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