Description

MANATON MANATON
SX 78 SW
4/56
- Church of St. Winifred
23.8.55
GV
I
Parish Church. C15 although probably in varying stages, chancel destroyed by
lightning in 1779 and re-built, major church restorations in 1865 and 1923 by Sir
Charles Nicholson and further in 1925. Mainly granite ashlar construction with
rendered tower. Dressed granite and volcanic stone detail to doors and windows.
Nave and chancel have slate roofs, aisles have lead roofs.
Nave, north and south aisles with chapels and west tower; storeyed porch to south
largely Perpendicular, aisles possibly added at slightly different stages. Area
around south aisle Chapel and priest door to chancel subject to considerable
alterations; south chapel partly impinges on priest door. This could be due either
to the chapel being added on to the chancel or the rebuilding of the chancel after
1779.
Unbuttressed tower in 3 stages with embattled parapet and octagonal polygonal stair
turret on south side with slit openings. 2 simple 2-light belfry openings with 4
centred heads. At ringing stage is small rectangular window opening on south side.
3-light Perpendicular west window appears to be unrestored, jambs are granite, the
rest volcanic stone. West doorway has 2 centred granite arch with hollow and roll
moulding. The south aisle has set back buttress with offsets and parapet with
moulded granite battlements continuing round the porch and polygonal rood stair
turret projection. Chamfered plinth extending right around the church. On the
eastern and western windows of the south aisle the tracery is C19 replacement in
Bath stone and the central window is a complete C19 replacement in Perpendicular
style. The west end window has carved headstops to the hoodmould one of which has
been mutilated. Original hoodmould to easterly south aisle window whose sill
appears to have been raised when window was rebuilt. Rood stair turret projects
from south aisle. Porch has set back buttresses with off-sets and moulded 2-
centred arched granite doorway. The north aisle windows have probably C20
replacement mullions and transoms late C19 hoodmould with carved headstops on north
aisle window. Wall cut away below to allow access to priest door adjoining in
chancel wall which has a rounded arch and hollow and roll moulding with stops.
Chancel east window late C19 3-light with Decorated star tracery and hood-moulded
with eared stops, all in Bath stone.
Good interior: stone vaulted porch with moulded ribs, round shafts have moulded
capitals and bases which rest on granite seats either side. Holy water stoup on
south aisle wall partially blocked by addition of porch. South door has 4 centred
arch with hollow and round moulding and cushion stops. 4 bay arcades to either
aisle with Pevsner A-type moulded piers, double chamfered 4-centred arches. North
arcade has shallow moulded capitals and cushion bases with keels at each corner.
South arcade has deep moulded capitals and square bases. No chancel arch. Tower
arch possible earlier than arcades, has double hollow and roll moulding with fillet
in between on cushion bases. Original roof to nave and north aisle; ceiled wagon
roof with moulded ribs and wall-plates, carved bosses at intersections and fleurons
set at intervals into wall-plates on either side of nave. Last 2 bays of chancel
roof rebuilt in C19 to form ceilure over sanctuary, painted , with carved bosses.
Early C20 panelled roof to south aisle with bosses on ribs. Granite doorway from
south aisle to porch chamber has 3 centred arched head. Doorways to rood stairs
from north and south aisles has 4 centred arched heads. Original hollow chamfered
granite rear arches to windows. Old plaster survives in north aisle and may
include mural decoration. Very fine late C15 richly carved timber screen extending
across nave and both aisles. Pevsner type A ogee-headed tracery. Coving much
rebuilt but a considerable amount of the original double cornice is retained with
running vine pattern. Much original painting survives although covered in places
by later graining. The panels have painted figures and in the jambs and arch of
the central doorway are carved figures underneath crocketed canopies. The original
doors survive. The screen was restored in 1893 under the direction of Mr. Sedding
of Plymouth, and again in 1924-25. Parclose screens to either chapel with square
headed tracery and Tudor arches to doorways, also with traces of ancient colouring,
possibly early C16. Reredos presented in 1897 by Mrs. Ffrench in memory of the
Ffrench family, designed by Mr. G. Prynne and panels painted by E. Prynne: richly
carved and gilded wooden panels in high Italian manner and painted with scenes of
the nativity and crucifixion with crocketed canopies over the central panels. Late
C19 pulpit and carved lecturn. Re-used linenfold panelling at west end of south
aisle, probably late Clslearly C16. Church entirely re-seated in 1925. Organ
presented in 1921 by Philip Champernowne in memory of his son-mahogany and
satinwood with inlay, classical details. 4 C15 stained glass figures in top of
north aisle window, second from the left, glass below dated 1883. Western window
of south aisle has robust design in stained glass dated 1927. The east window of
south aisle has a geometric pattern dated 1860. Small painted royal coat of arms
on board over tower arch. There are a number of granite tomb stones in the floors
of the nave, aisles and chancel. In the south aisle they are dated 1620, 1633, and
1672, one dated 1698 in the nave and 2 in the north aisle dated 1658 and 1676 where
there is a third one with an illegible inscription but a carved heart in the
centre. In the chancel is a marble slab in memory of Richard Eastchurch, rector,
1698 with a carved coat of arms. Simple C19 octagonal granite font. 3 medieval
bells survive, one being cast at the Exeter foundry of Robert Norton about the the
end of the C15. 2 others, dedicated to St. Catherine and to St. George, were
probably cast locally by Johanna Hill, widow of a London bell-founder, and their
marks indicate a date between 1440-43.
Sources: Devon C19 Churches Project. Kelly's Directory 1893 and 1926. H Fulford
Williams: "Notes on Parish of Manaton".

Listing NGR: SX7493981281

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527230

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2