Description

TORQUAY

SX9063 ST MATTHEW'S ROAD, Chelston
885-1/17/346 (South side)
14/02/72 Church of St Matthew

GV II*

Parish church. 1895-1904 by Nicholson and Corlette (Pevsner).
Rainwater goods dated 1903. Rock-faced red sandstone with
freestone dressings; top stage of tower ashlar; slate roof;
crested ridge tiles. Free Gothic style.
PLAN: Nave, chancel, north and south aisles; south-east tower;
north-east vestry; porches on north and south sides in western
bays.
EXTERIOR: 5-bay aisles, buttressed with set-offs with
traceried 2-light windows except for the bay adjacent to the
porch on the south side which is 3-light. 5-light traceried
chancel window with 2 king mullions. Chancel with 3 buttresses
to east wall. Far end of south aisle flush with chancel east
wall: 3-light traceried windows. 3 segmental-headed traceried
windows on the east wall light church offices. To the right,
the east wall of the north aisle is set back behind a
flat-roofed vestry with an embattled parapet. Symmetrical west
end, the nave slightly broken forward with a 4-light traceried
window; 3-light windows to west end of aisles. Shallow
porches, the north side porch freestone with an original
panelled door; south porch sandstone with an original door
with strap hinges with pierced detail.
3-stage tower with clasping buttress and projecting south-east
stair turret. Belfry stage has octagonal corner turrets and
large 2-light traceried louvred belfry windows with recessed
stone panels below; parapet pierced with crosses.
INTERIOR: The church is described in Pevsner as 'excellent
work' by the firm. Very complete with high quality Arts and
Crafts fittings. Snecked stone walls with rusticated stone
relieving arches. 5-bay nave with open wagon roof with carved
bosses, roof preserves original green stain and green white
and red decoration to principal timbers. N & S arcades have
octagonal piers and capitals carved with Arts and Crafts style
fishes and flowers and double chamfered arches. Wide,
wagon-roofed aisles. 3-bay timber chancel screen with
wrought-iron panels and carved canopy. Chancel has painted
wagon roof with original decoration. Single arches into organ
chamber to N and vestry to S, the latter with a carved
parclose screen. Timber drum pulpit with boldly-carved symbols
of the evangelists.
Spectacular font ensemble at W end. Font with polished granite
bowl, cylindrical stem and simple octagonal corner shafts
stands on flight of steps. Font cover made and given by Gerald
Moira (Pevsner) with a timber cover with a circle of carved
angels. Cover attached by chain to counterweight supported on
a very tall trabiated, carved timber structure.
On either side of the font, fine figures of St Mary and St
George by F Lynn Jenkins (Pevsner) on plain granite pedestals.
STAINED GLASS said to be by AK Nicholson (Pevsner) but E
window signed with 2 interlocking Cs.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1952-1989:
P.850-1).

Listing NGR: SX9004563720

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17550071

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

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide