Details
SAMPFORD SPINEY SAMPFORD SPINEY
SX 57 SW
7/103 Church of St Mary
-
21.3.67
GV I
Parish church. Late C13/early C14 origin (nave and north transept), extended early-
mid C16 with tower, south aisle and porch, late C19 chancel and north vestry with
some C19 restoration. Mixed slatestone and granite in nave, transept and aisle,
squared granite rubble porch, granite ashlar tower, snecked rock-faced rubble
chancel, granite dressings, slate roofs with crestings of C19. Tower, nave, south
aisle and south porch, north transept and north vestry, chancel. Late Perpendicular
style.
3-stage tower has west door with pointed arch, roll and hollow mouldings with
trefoils in spandrels, hood-mould and C20 door, 3-light window above resting on hood-
mould of door, with 2-centred arched lights, upper tracery and 4-centred arched head,
hood-mould continuous as string course, third stage at all sides has similar 2-light
bell opening sith slate louvres and hood-mould; south side has image niche with
initial M in raised lettering at first stage, armorial shield at third stage; set
back weathered buttresses rising to top string course which is hollow-moulded, other
string courses weathered, plinth, embattled parapet with crocketed pinnacles on bases
with panels of 4 quatrefoils. Straight joint to north to nave, with wall stepped
back and small weathered buttress at junction with chancel. 3-bay south aisle has 3-
light windows, hollow-chamfered, 2-centred arched heads with hood-mould, east window
as to west on tower, with hood-mould, similar 3-light window to west. Gabled south
porch appears to have been rebuilt, with chamfered granite plinth and pointed arched
opening, interior has late C19 arched brace and collar 4-bay roof with collar purlin
and principal rafters, holy water stoup to right, 4-centred arched chamfered granite
doorway with step stops and late C19 door. North transept has early C14 north window
of 2 lights, with trefoil heads and Y tracery with trefoils above, late C19 east
window of 3 lights with narrow trefoil heads; vestry attached in angle to west with
2-light casement granite surround, roof extended from pitch of nave roof. Single-bay
chancel has pointed arched east window, 3 light, with trefoil heads and upper
reticulated tracery.
Interior tower arch has 2 chamfered orders, paired piers to each side with concave
moulding between, shaft rings and triple rings to caps, C19 carved wooden screen.
Nave has roof of common rafters and scissors trusses, 4-bay south arcade of 4-centred
arches of 2 chamfered order with Pevsner A-type piers, cornice along north wall
probably former wall plate before C19 re-roofing; wide 4-centred arch with 2
chamfered orders to north transept, with mask corbel to west and block corbel to
east; C19 tall pointed arch to chancel, one plain pier to each side. South aisle has
pointed segmental heads to south windows, east and west windows with 4-centred
arches, roof as in nave. Transept has chamfered rere-arches to window, trefoil ogee-
headed piscina on east wall, tomb recess to north with plain pier to each side, 4-
centred arch in limestone with 2 chamfers and convex moulding, C19 west door to
vestry with flat lintel; roof as in nave. Chancel has arched braces rising from
corbels, C19 piscina to left and reset piscina to right with trefoil hollow for
drain, triangular head and wave-moulded jambs.
Fittings: octagonal granite font in transept of C14, with shields to sides and stem
with recessed panels on moulded octagonal base. 2 early C18 hatchments in nave and
south aisle with armorial bearings. Mediaeval encaustic tiles set in north transept
floor with pierced geometric designs. C18 ledger stone in nave with 2 shields, to
Jane Hall, 1799 and other members of the family; unidentified slate ledger stone in
nave, dated 1721; slate monument in nave with incised oval forming inscription panel,
to the Reverend Samuel Forster, 1775, cut by William Shillibeer. C19 plain leaded
lights to all windows except chancel east window with stained glass of early C20.
(Sources: Pevsner, N.: Buildings of England: South Devon. 1952).
Listing NGR: SX5342472471
