Church of St Bartholomew

Details

NYMET ROWLAND NYMET ROWLAND SS 70 NW 2/58 Church of St Bartholomew 26.8.65 - I

Parish church. C12 origins, late C15-early C16 tower and north aisle, some improvements associated with a 1636 datestone, restored by Halls of Dolton in 1889. Tower of roughtly-coursed local mudstone with granite dressings; nave and porch of random rubble with volcanic and granite detail; chancel (mostly restored) of snecked mudstone with rusticated Hatherleigh stone quoins and Bathstone detail; north aisle is rusticated; slate roofs (replacing oak shingles), chancel and porch with crested ridge tiles. Nave and lower and narrower chancel, north aisle, west tower and south porch. Mostly Perpendicular but east window restored in Decorated style. Late C15-early C16 tower of 2 stages has massive granite quoins, low diagonal buttresses, internal stair with narrow slit windows on north-west corner and an embattled parapet. It is surmounted by a plain wrought iron weathercock on the south-east corner; probably C19. The belfry windows are simple, granite, 2-lights, each with 3-centred heads. On the west side is an original arched granite doorway with moulded surround and cushion stops and it now contains a C19 door. Above is a late C15-early C16 granite square-headed 3-light window with elliptical (almost round-headed) heads and a moulded hood. On the east side the drip course shows of an earlier and higher nave roof. The south side of the nave is C12 but contains later windows, one either side of the porch. That to the left is 2 lights with elliptical heads and external ferramenta and is associated with an internal datestone of 1636 although it looks more late C15-early C16. That to right however could be C7. Built of volcanic it is round- headed with a hollow-chamfered suround. The porch is late C15-early C16 but heavily restored. It is gabled with Bathstone kneelers, coping and plain Latin apex cross and has a plain round-headed outer arch. The chancel seems a C19 rebuild. The south side contains a single granite lancet, possibly reset C13 work. The east end has shaped Bathstone kneelers, coping and Fleuree apex cross and contains a C19 Bathstone 3-light window with Decorated style tracery and a moulded hood with carved medieval heads as labels. The north side of the chancel is blind. The north aisle is little restored. The east end contains a late C15-early C16 granite square-headed 2-light window with elliptical heads and sunken spandrels. There is a similar 2-light window on the north side built of volcanic stone with granite replacement mullion and head. To right is a more C15- looking square-headed 2-light window but heavily restored. It has volcanic stone sides, granite sill and mullion, and limestone head containing pointed heads with cinquefoils and sunken spandrels. The west end is blind. Good interior. The porch roof has a late C15-early C16 barrel-vaulted roof with moulded purlin under the collars but has been much mended in C19. The south doorway is Norman. Built of purple-red volcanic stone, it has plain sides (retooled if not rebuilt in C19) and soffit-chamfered imposts carved with nailhead and spirals which imitate volutes on the corners. The left side is inscribed EMER. Only a part of round-headed arch survives, the rest made up of rubble voussoirs. The head is filled with timber to create an ogee arch and a painted board records a gift of £20 towards the C19 restoration. C19 plank door. The nave has a C15 or Cl6 common rafter truss barrel-vaulted roof which is now open. The chancel has a C19 3-bay wagon roof with moulded ribs and large carved bosses. There is no chancel arch : only a C19 arch-braced truss slightly lower than the wagon roof. The north aisle has a good late C15-early C16 open 8-bay wagon roof with moulded ribs and purlins, the original wall plate carved as foliate openwork, and carved oak bosses, mostly foliate but some Bouchier and Stafford knots. Tall plain tower arch. The arcade is unusual being built of oak. Otherwise it has a conventional appearance. It is 3 bays with one overlapping the chancel. The posts are moulded (Pevsner's Type A) with plain caps to the shafts only. There are no responds : the end arches are buried in the walls. The rear arch is propped by a C17 oak turned post. The only other timber arcade in Devon is at Dowland, near Winkleigh. The floor is C19 parquet except in the chancel which is C19 tile with a display of encaustic tile around the altar. The altar is C19 as is the Bathstone piscina with trefoil head and credence, the oak altar rail on timber standards, the Gothic style drum pulpit, lectern (these 2 made by W H Bushell of Down St Mary), stalls and most of the plain deal benches. At the east end of the north aisle are some late C15 oak bench ends with moulded surrounds and simple Gothic carved panels. The west end of the nave has contemporary complete benches with similarly-carved ends. The Beerstone font is a Norman girdled tub. The girdle is enriched with a band of chevrons and below are incised semicircles between which are stars and crosses. Upon the bowl are inscribed rude representations of leaves and fleur-de-lys at irregular intervals; possibly secondary. To the rear of the north aisle is a good C17 oak chest with carved and panelled front with a top frieze of scrollwork, arcades with flowers in the panels and lunettes along the bottom. Alongside stands a C17 oak table with turned legs. To rear of the north aisle is a painted board containing the arms of George III dated 1792. C19 wrought-iron sanctuary lamp now hangs from the arcade. 2 plain marble mural memorials in the chancel, one in memory of William Wreford of Clearanger (died 1756) and his family up to 1810, the other in memory of Roger Partridge of London (died 1851). There are fragments of C18 stained glass in the east window of the north aisle. The east window of the nave includes Art Nouveau stained glass in memory of Leonard (died 1922) and Eleanor Partridge (died 1926). Sources: Devon C19 Church Project. Church guide.

Listing NGR: SS7111208212

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

95609

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Other
St Bartholomew Nymet Rowland Devon Church Guide,

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