Parish Church of St Andrew

Details

YARNSCOMBE YARNSCOMBE SS 56 23 13/275 Parish Church of St Andrew 4.10.60 GV II*

Parish church. Probably C13 in origin, C15 south aisle and porch; restoration of 1846, including the addition of the vestry, refurbishment of 1884, long-term restoration and repair programme in the 1970s and 1980s. Rough-squared. Stone rubble with a slate roof and granite volcanic and freestone dressings. Plan: The position of the transeptal north tower is unusual in the county: nave, chancel, 4-bay granite south arcade, north-east vestry, south porch. C13 features survive in the chancel and tower, the latter also said to have some traces of earlier work. The south aisle and porch were added in the C15. Exterior: The chancel has a probably C13 3-light Early English east window with intersecting tracery, medieval masonry surviving on the exterior, the splayed internal jambs probably a C19 rebuilding; 2-light square-headed cusped windows to the north and south sides. The lean-to vestry on the north side is said to be 1846 (church guide) but re-uses a 2-light square-headed cuspid medieval east window. The nave has a 3-light Perpendicular west window and a 2-light freestone Perpendicular north window. 2 stage C13 transeptal north tower with diagonal buttresses, battlements and corner pinnacles; round-headed window on the east side, cusped belfry openings on north, west and east sides; polygonal stair turret on the west side. The south aisle has 3-light Perpendicular east windows, three 3-light Perpendicular granite windows, a rectangular rood loft stair turret and a doorway into the south chancel chapel with a depressed segmental head. 3-light Perpendicular east window. The south porch has a moulded granite outer doorframe with moulded capitals below a late C18 slate sundial, the gnomon at an angle to take account of the alignment of the church. The inner doorframe is also moulded granite; C19 floor tiles and door, medieval ceiled wagon roof. There is a blocked west door to the nave. Interior: Plastered walls; chancel arch formed from the junction of the nave and lower chancel roof with an asymmetrical arch supported on a large timber corbel on the south side; plain pointed arch into the tower; 4-bay granite south arcade with diagonally-set shafts to the piers, moulded capitals and shallow-moulded Tudor arches. The western respond abuts a short section of plain wall that divides the nave and aisle at the west end. Ceiled wagon roofs throughout, probably late medieval, except the easternmost section in the nave which appears to be a C20 replacement. The rather odd black and white colour scheme, presumably C20 but rather C17 in character, has obscured much of the carved detail on the roof. Both doorways to the roof loft stair turret survive, the upper doorway plainer. The chancel has a probable 1840s reredos with texts in stone frames; late C19 tiling and a late C19 Communion rail with iron standards decorated with leaves. On the north side a tomb recess (possibly an Easter Sepulchre) with carved spandrels and blind tracery on the back, the arch decorated with fleurons. The remains of a medieval figure survives on the back under a crocketted ogee arch - the figure may be God the Father holding a miniature figure of the crucified Christ. A Purbeck marble slab has been introduced into the recess, commemorating a member of the Cockworthy family. Late C19 choir stalls with shaped ends and pierced tracery backs. The nave has a good 1848 stone drum pulpit on a stem, the sides with tracery panels and a text in carved Gothic script below the cornice, which is decorated with fleurons. C15 font, unusually well-preserved and unaltered with an octagonal bowl, the faces carved alternately with trefoil-headed panels and quatrefoil, with an old lead lining. Tomb recess in south wall of the aisle with carved spandrels and fleurons decorating the arch. Numerous C16 and C17 ledger stones pave the nave and aisle with C19 tiled borders. In the east end of the aisle late medieval Barnstaple tiles survive with a variety of motifs. C19 nave and aisle benches with shaped ends. A probable C13 oak chest with iron banding survives in the nave. The tower has a probably C13 2-centred chamfered stone doorframe into the stair turret. Royal Arms of George IV. Monuments: The chancel has a white marble wall monument with a brattished frame commemorating Ann Loveband, died 1827. Late C17 wall monument to John Pollard, died 1667, with a Latin inscription and 2 busts in medallions. In the nave a wall monument on the north wall commemorates John Loveband, died 1818. The monument looks much earlier: black marble with reeded pilasters and an oval inscription tablet and an urn above. In one of the roof panels above this monument a painted text has a decorated plaster frame, the text reads "Let me die the death of the rightous (sic) and let my last end be like his (Numbers 23c 10v)". A white marble wall plaque commemorates Anthony Loveband of Northchurch, died 1826. Other early C19 white plaques in the aisle commemorate other members of the Loveband family. At the east end of the south aisle a slate ledger stone below the window with a Latin inscription. Glass: Clayton and Bell east window with a memorial date of 1867. In the east window of the aisle fragment of C15 medieval stained glass include armorial bearings and a winged figure.

Listing NGR: SS5616323600

Legacy

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Legacy System number:

91891

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LBS

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