Description

SX 68 NE GIDLEIGH GIDLEIGH

3/193 Church of the Holy Trinity
-
22.2.67
GV I

Parish Church of modest size. Saxon or Norman origins, completely rebuilt in late
C15 -early C16, some C17 windows and C19 additions. Large coursed blocks of granite
ashlar with some granite stone rubble patching; granite ashlar detail, most of it
original; slate roof (formerly thatch).
Plan: ostensibly a single phase church although the tower maybe earlier. Nave and
chancel under a continuous roof; south aisle to nave only with C19 vestry added to
west end; west tower with internal stair; north doorway behind C19 porch.
Exterior: tall unbuttressed west tower of 2 stages with embattled parapet, missing
its corner pinnacles. 2-light belfry windows and west side has a 2-centred arch
doorway with moulded surround below a 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery.
Nave and chancel have mostly square-headed 2-light windows; the lights are round-
headed and there are sunken spandrels with hoodmoulds. One in the nave replaced by
a tall C17 3-light window with chamfered mullions. East end of chancel has a 3-
light window with elliptical head and hoodmould, the centre light only has a pointed
arch head. Similar windows to south aisle. C19 vestry flat-topped with embattled
parapet and Transitional-style detail. Priests door in north side of chancel is a
segmental pointed arch. C19 gabled north porch with roof of granite slabs has
Norman style outer arch and similar north doorway. All the doors replaced in C19.
Along the side of the nave a number of C17 and early C18 graveslabs have been set
upright; all are clearly legible.
Interior: nave and chancel have late C15-early C16 continuous ceiled wagon roof. In
the nave only the ridge purlin shows but chancel has moulded ribs and purlins with
some plain (maybe C19 replacement) carved bosses. The south aisle roof is the same
as the nave. Tall chamfered tower arch. 3-bay arcade with monolithic octagonal
piers with soffit-chamfered caps and low arches with double chamfered arch rings.
Plastered walls.
The reredos (formerly from Church of St. Michael, Chagford) was made in 1868, pulpit
and lecturn were made in 1853; all are granite and carved in Gothic style by John
Agget. They are most unusual. C19 oak wainscotting in sanctuary C16 in style.
Plain C19 Gothic timber altar rail and stalls and nave seating now C20 chairs.
South chapel altar is a C17 oak table with heavy turned legs. C15 granite font with
octagonal bowl, moulded stem and chamfered plinth with probably C17 ogival oak hood.
Oak chancel screen is also original, but was altered in mid or late C16. It is 5
bays with central doorway. Blind ogival tracery on wainscotting and windows have
delicate Perpendicular tracery (Persner's Type A). It seems that when rood gallery
was removed (blocked door to stairs on north side) the coved parapet was removed.
Spandrels then filled with applied foliate motifs separated by distinctively carved
posts, all Renaissance in style. 2 bands of the original undercut frieze reused but
some secondary gessowork. Rear is devoid of ornamentation and thankfully missing
the C19 paint which adorns the front complete with transfer pictures of saints.
No memorials. East window of aisle includes some C15 glass featuring fragments of
St. John and Our Lady with flowers in a delicate grisaille.
An attractive and little modernised Dartmoor church.
Source. Church guide.

Listing NGR: SX6706588382

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of the Holy Trinity at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17527640

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.

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