Description

WEARE GIFFARD
SS4622
15/198 Church of the Holy
4.10.60 Trinity (formerly
listed as Parish
Church Church of
Holy Trinity)
GV. I
Anglican Parish church. Late C13 chancel and nave; C15 porch,
south aisle, south chapel and west tower; restored in late C19.
Coursed and dressed C15 slatestone rubble, with C13 coursed
slatestone rubble to north wall; west tower of rough ashlar.
Stone-coped late C19 slate roof. Plan of chancel, aisled choir
and nave with south aisle, south chapel and west tower. Pointed
chamfered arch over late C19 three-light Perpendicular-style east
window to chancel; C13 lancet window to north chancel wall; late
C19 vestry with stone chimneystack and Perpendicular-style
windows. South chapel has C15 five-light Perpendicular east
window; four-bay south wall of nave has two C15 three-light
Perpendicular windows to east and two similar windows restored in
C20 to west; moulded arched doorway with C15 ribbed and studded
door to south chapel. C15 south porch has moulded- arched outer
doorway and casement-moulded architrave to inner, doorway with
C15 ribbed and studded door with original clasping ring, plate
and lock. Four-bay north wall of nave has C15 two-light window
restored in C20 to east, and C15 three-light Perpendicular
windows with intersecting arches to tracery. C15 three-stage
tower has offset diagonal buttresses pointed moulded-arched west
doorway with late C19 door, string courses and crenellated
parapet; slit lights; ogee-headed figure recess to south, and
hood moulds over 2-light chamfered segmental-arched belfry
windows.
Interior: chancel has chamfered pointed arched piscina; late C19
pointed arched doorway to vestry, late C19 Minton tile floor and
late C19 organ case. C15 corbel heads support late C15 four-bay
king-post roof to chancel; coved and brattished cornice,
mouchettes and quatrefoils in spandrels, moulded purlins and
intermediate rafters, the latter with carved pendentives. C15
five-bay arcade. South aisle and chapel has late C15 wagon roof
with moulded ribs and floral bosses. Fittings: late C19 choir
stalls, benches and Gothic-style pulpit. Some benches have early
C16 bench ends with richly-carved Perpendicular tracery, coats of
arms (including those of Bartholomew Fortescue who became patron
of living in 1510), and iconography including head of John the
Baptist on plate. Early C12 scalloped font on late C19 base.
Monuments: north wall of nave and choir has mid C13 effigies of
Sir Walter Giffard and wife (removed here in late C19 from
pointed moulded arched recess where altar now stands). Fortescue
Memorial of c. 1640: heraldic achievement set in broken pediment
and lonic columns frame figures of Hugh Fortescue (d. 1600) and
his wife Elizabeth (d. 1630), which kneel facing each other at
prayer, above figures of their son, John (d. 1605), and wife
Maria (d. 1637) who kneel at prayer facing outwards; these
figures are flanked by relief portraits of their children (on
roundels) and grandchildren (on ovals). The Fortescue Memorial
was erected by John's son, Hugh Fortescue c. 1640. Chest tomb to
Eleanor Fortescue, d. 1857. Late C15 wallpainting over priest's
door in south chapel shows Martyrdom of St Sebastian, who is
shown flanked by two bowmen. Stained glass: memorial glass, of
c. 1870 to east window of chancel, and of 1902 to nave. Heads
and tracery lights of east window of south chapel have fine
medieval glass from C15 Jesse window, including Fortescue arms.
Fragments of C15 glass in tracery of aisle windows.
Buildings of England: North Devon, p,160; National Monuments
Record) )

Listing NGR: SS4672222130

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527475

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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