Church of St Martin

Details

EXMINSTER CHURCH STILE, Exminster SX 98 NW

4/35 Church of St. Martin 30.6.61

GV I

Parish church. Late C14 and late C15, restoration of 1841-2 including rebuilding of south porch, further restoration of 1856. West tower brecchia ashlar; south aisle brecchia and freestone rubble, west wall rebuilt in coursed stone; nave and north- east vestry brecchia brought to course; porch snecked stone; slate roofs. Plan of west tower, nave, chancel, 5-bay south aisle (1 bay to the chancel), south porch and north east vestry. Perpendicular, the aisle probably late C15 (qv Dunchideock). South chancel chapel refurbished as the Peamore aisle in 1631, chancel restored 1841-2, Peamore aisle restored 1856. The chancel has a coped gable with kneelers and a 3-light early C19 window with a hoodmould. The north wall of the nave has 3 3-light Perpendicular windows, all varying in design. The eastern-most is C19 with a hoodmould, the centre window has no cusping in the head tracery and may be C16, the westernmost is more steeply arched with cusped tracery. The south aisle has a 3-light. Perpendicular west window with a hoodmould, the western-most window on the south side is also a 3-light Perpendicular window but of a different design. The 2 eastern windows are C19 1 erpendicular with hoodmoulds, probably of the 1850s, the westernmost window preserves the remains of medieval label stops. The south porch has a C19 double chamfered outer doorway, the inner arch dying into the aisle. The interior has stone benches and a C19 ceiled wagon roof with slender moulded ribs and flat floral bosses. The double chamfered inner doorway is medieval, the inner order with bar cushion stops. The handsome battlemented 3-stage west tower (no pinnacles) has a battlemented polygonal north east stair turret rising above the height of the tower, diagonal buttresses to the west and a single buttress to the south east. The Beerstone west doorway is arched and moulded below a 3-light C14 Perpendicular west window; 2-light traceried belfry openings on all 4 faces, the south and north faces have I-light cinquefoil-headed openings at bellringers' stage. North east-vestry and organ chamber with 2 gables to the north. The vestry has an octagonal brattishe chimney shaft and a 2-light circa 1870s Decorated window and chamfered Tudor arched doorway in the north wall. The organ chamber has a re-used medieval Perpendicular window. Interior: Plastered walls (except for tower), no chancel arch, chamfered tower arch dying into the walls. Ceiled wagon roofs with moulded ribs and carved bosses to the nave and south aisle, chancel roof an open wagon. 5-bay arcade, 1 bay to the chancel with octagonal brecchia monolith piers, moulded capitals and double-chamfered rounded arches, very similar to Dunchideock; the double chamfered rounded arch, found in other local churches may be a date Perpendicular regional feature. A I0-bay rood screen extends across nave and aisle, it has been thoroughly restored in the early C20 with the coning and most of the frieze replaced. Medieval rood loft stairs and doorway survive. The ceiling of the Peamore aisle (now the Lady Chapel) is remarkable, with a ceiled wagon with moulded plaster ribs and large figures in relief in panels embellished with angels and stars. Named figures of the 12 apostles and 4 evangelists are depicted and, in the spandrels of the east window, scenes of the Nativity, Christ carrying the cross and the Resurrection, with the globe, sun and moon above the window arch. The chancel has a good stone reredos with gabled frames to the commandment boards dating from the 1841 restoration. On the north wall a Beerstone monument, erected in 1608, to Otho Petre, died 1607: a chest with kneeling figures divided by Corinthian columns with achievements above and a long punning Latin verse on the name of Petre. A tall squint into the Peamore aisle has an arched head. The nave has a good late C17/early C18 timber drum pulpit on a wineglass stem, fielded panels to each side with acanthus borders and foliage carving., The octagonal font has deeply-cut tracery on the bowl and a stem with tracery decoration. Early C20 benches and bench ends by the Herbert Read firm with various decoration. On the north wall of the nave a wall monument commemorating Philipa Cooke, died 1690: an oval inscription tablet and cartouche flanked by Corinthian columns and crowned by a swan-necked pediment with an achievement, ancient colour survives. In the Peamore aisle an unusual design for a wall monument, commemorating Grace Tothill, died 1623: the conventional arrangement of Corinthian columns flanking an inscription tablet with a good verse is elaborated at the base with a small figure in relief resting on one elbow. Of numerous early C19 wall tablets the memorial to Philip Stowey, died 1804, signed by J. Kendal is notable: a grey obelisk with an urn and inscription. The east window, memorial date of 1876 is probably by Beer and Driffield. Late Morris and Co. window (memorial date 1923) in north side. 2 fragmentary medieval stained glass figures in the vestry. The Perpendicular work is conventional and the details much restored; the plasterwork of the Peamore aisle is remarkable; some good monuments.

Listing NGR: SX9455887707

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