Details
MARY TAVY MARY TAVY
SX 57 NW
4/80 Church of St Mary
-
21.3.67
GV I
Parish church. C14 origin of nave and chancel, south aisle added slightly later,
second phase of building early C15 tower and rood stair, west end of aisle rebuilt
and porch added mid C15, C19 restoration and south transept dated 1893; porch sundial
dated 1702. Nave, chancel and aisle of mixed slate and granite rubble with large
granite quoins to aisle; tower, rood stair, west end of aisle and porch of granite
ashlar, greenstone dressings to aisle, metamorphic stone dressings to porch and
tower; C19 transept in granite ashlar; slate roofs with raised coped verges and
crestings of C19, cross finial to porch, lead roof to tower.
West tower, nave, chancel, south aisle, south porch and south transept.
Perpendicular style of various periods. 2-stage tower has 2-centred arched west door
with surround of 2 roll-mouldings and one hollow in metamorphic stone, quatrefoils in
spandrels and hood-mould, C19 door with strap hinges, 3-light window above with 4-
centred head, cusped lights, hood-mould and relieving arch, second stage south has
similar smaller 2-light window with C20 glazing and mullion, third stage has 2-light
bell-openings with cusped lights, slate louvres, flat head and hood-mould, embattled
parapet, obelisk pinnacles with ball finials, moulded plinth and string courses,
buttress rising to first stage south; polygonal north stair tower with lancets and
embattled parapet, string courses continued around stair tower. 2-bay nave has two
3-light north windows, with 4-centred heads, roll-moulded mullions, cusped lights and
hood-mould, to right mouldings replaced by late C19/early C20 granite and limestone,
to left with replaced lower section of mullions and with wave-moulded architraves;
polygonal rood stair to left with lancets and moulded plinth as on tower. Single bay
chancel has to north a 3-light window with flat head and hood-mould, relieving arch,
cusped light lancets; 3-light east window with 2-centred arched head and hood-mould,
relieving arch, cusped lights in slatestone, weathered buttress to left at junction
with south aisle, with 3-light east window of triple lancet with upper tracery in
greenstone, replaced mullions, hood-mould and relieving arch over 4-centred head.
South side of aisle has 3-light window as on north side of chancel, with hood-mould
and convex-moulded architrave; attached to wall, 2 slate ledger stones, one to Mary
Veare, 1740, with paired inscription panels, hourglass and wings in centre, skull and
crossed bones in spandrels to sides; one to John Hawkins, blacksmith, 1721 and other
members of the family, with 2 panels, shield of arms with skull and crossed bones to
left. Stylised vase of flowers to right. At west end, aisle has plinth slightly
lower than tower, line of roof alterations visible in gable end, 3-light window in
metamorphic stone with 4-centred arch, cusped lights and upper tracery, hood-mould.
Gabled south porch has 2-centred arched opening in metamorphic stone with 3 hollow
mouldings and hood-mould, moulded plinth and low string course continuous with west
end of aisle, slate sundial with gnomon on gable end, C19 wrought iron gates;
interior has scored slate floor, wooden benches to sides, depressed arched inner
opening with architrave of 2 roll and one hollow moulding in metamorphic stone, as on
west tower doorway, with circles carved in spandrels, flat head and hood-mould,
greenstone image niche above with trefoil head, moulded wall-plate also in greenstone
with second timber wall-plate above, fine 2-bay roof with moulded arched-braces with
pendants, collars and moulded collar purlin, one row of moulded purlins, carved
bosses.
2 storey south transept has 4-light south window at first floor level with Y-
traceried mullion, buttresses and plinth, 3-light ground floor window to east with
cusped ogee heads set in recessed reveal; tall 2-light window, contemporary with
transept, on south side of aisle between transept and porch, in granite, with cusped
ogee heads.
Interior Nave has 4-bay C19 roof of principal rafters, arched-braces, cambered
collars and 2 tiers of windbraces with wallplate and one row of purlins; 2-bay arcade
continued a further 2 bays into chancel and chapel, has 3 central piers of Pevsner A-
type in metamorphic stone, west pier in similar stone of lighter colour, 2 arches in
nave are low 4-centred with roll-mouldings, taller 2-centred arches in chancel with 2
wave mouldings. In north wall, door to former rood stair with segmental head, upper
C19 rood door with flat head, C19 wooden pulpit on granite base by lower door; north
windows are of C19 reconstruction to left, to right only partially replaced with
roll-moulded architrave; 2-centred tower arch of 2 chamfered orders with cornice at
springing of arch. Chancel has 3-bay roof as in nave, east window has hollow-
chamfered rere-arch, north window with roll-moulded surround and mullion, piscina to
right of altar with chamfered 4-centred arch and drain, of C15; chamfered triple pier
at east end of arcade in metamorphic stone of C15, other piers of C19. South chapel
has 3-bay roof as nave, east window of C19 reconstruction with surround in style as
chancel east window, south wall has reset Norman piscina with cambered head and cross
mouldings to sides, south window has image niche on left jamb with C19 Perpendicular
style hood and image; mid C19 carved wooden rood screen across chancel and chapel.
South aisle has 4-bay roof as nave, cambered head to door opening, with holy water
stoup to east, Tudor arched door to vestry with C19 Perpendicular style stoup to
west; above an ogee-headed 3-light window to upper level of vestry with trefoil heads
to lights; west window has splayed metamorphic stone reveal with replacement
mullions. Vestry has straight stair with turned balusters to upper room. Tower has
mid C19 bellframe with bells dated 1720, 1809 and one of C19.
Fittings: octagonal granite font in south aisle, possibly of mediaeval origin and
recut in C19, with decorative ironwork to cover. Pair of marble tablets on slate in
south aisle, to William Martin, 1837 and John Martin, 1838, by R. Hingston of
Plymouth and Tavistock. Fine set of stained glass in style of Kempe, late C19.
(Sources: Pevsner, N. : Buildings of England: South Devon 1952).
Listing NGR: SX5092178752
