Description

SS31NE WEST PUTFORD CP VILLAGE CENTRE

3/64 Church of St Stephen

14.2.58

GV I

Anglican parish Church. Late C13-early C14, subsequently refenestrated in parts, tower
c1400, upper stage possibly C16 addition, floors tiles early C16, south door dated 1620,
tower rebuilt using old masonry in 1883, chancel reroofed and porch added late C19,
church restored 1929-30, tower restored again c1980 when the parapets were rebuilt and
the roof and floors were relaid. 1880s restoration by S.Eooper of Hatherleigh, 1920s
restoration by Harbottle Reed. Coursed and roughly dressed local stone, remains of
render on nave, slate roofs. Plan: chancel, north and south transepts, nave and west
tower. Three stage unbuttressed, crenellated tower with plain pinnacles, 3-light west
window with continuous hoodmould, west door with unusual stops to moulded, round-headed
opening which, like the plank door, presumably dates from the 1880s restoration; nave
buttressed at west end, 2-light trefoil-headed window to left of gabled porch, unmoulded
arched opening with double wrought-iron gates, open ribbed barrel vault roof, holy water
stoup in right jamb of chamfered arch opening, ribbed door dated 1620; 3-light
cinquefoil-headed window under square hoodmould to right; 2-light uncusped window to
south transept, similar 3-light window in east wall blocked in lower portion, chancel
with 3-light cinquefoil-headed window under square hoodmould, C19 3-light East window,
3-light pointed arch window in wall of north transept, the lower portion of which has
been blocked, 2-light cinquefoil-headed on north front of transept, north wall of nave
unlit except for a tiny 2-light square-headed opening east of the blocked north door.
Interior: rendered, exposed masonry in tower. No chancel arch, moulded tie beam to north
transept with carved corbel in chancel wall, tie beam to south transept; tower arch tall
and narrow, depressed pointed arched opening chamfered in 2 orders. Roofs: C19
scissorbrace roof to chancel, late medieval elsewehere: north transept, ribbed and
plastered barrel vault with moulded wallplate, south transept plastered barrel vault
with a section of moulded wallplate, nave ceiled and plastered wagon roof with moulded
wallplate. Ogee-headed piscina in south transept; no rere arch to east window. Round
headed doorway to roodstair in north transept, stair destroyed, evidence of niches in
jambs of east window. Norman font of the girdle tub-type with cable moulding between
bowl and plinth. Large number of encaustic tiles made in Barnstaple in early C16 with a
variety of devices. C18 twisted baluster altar rails, pulpit composed of similar twisted
balusters, possibly reworked. Painted Royal Coat of Arms dated 1714. Altar table, choir
stalls, benches and lectern early C20, a few remnants of the earlier bench ends survive.
Good monument to the two wives of Anthony Gregory, rector, died 1681 and 1689: an oval
tablet surrounded by cherubs heads; good incised slate tomb slabs to Robert Kill, died
1711, with coat of arms, and to William Braund, died 1710; others to William Kill, died
1663 and Jno. Gifford, died 1788; Joan Short, died 1642, and an unidentified one with
gothic lettering. Fine collection of C18 and C19 slate headstones in churchyard. A rare
example of a church that survived the C19 largely untouched and underwent a
conservative restoration following SPAD principles in the early C20. (Kelly's Directory, conservative restoration following SPAB principles in the early C20. (Kelly's Directory,
1889; Cherry and Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Devon, forthcoming.)

Listing NGR: SS3589815662

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527461

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

• 
  For the Record
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)