Description

TRUSHAM CHURCH LANE Trusham
SX 88 SE

3/249 Church of Saint Michael
-
13.8.55
GV II*

Parish church. First Rector 1260. Reconsecrated 1259 by Walter Bronsecombe, Lord
Bishop of Exeter. Surviving structure mostly C15-C16, restored 1890. Rendered
stone rubble with granite and Beer stone dressings. Dry slate roofs with coped
gable ends. Nave, chancel, west tower, north aisle and south porch. Slender west
tower of 2 stages. Round headed west entrance doorway with date 1641 carved in
granite arch stone. Relieving arch over. Granite window above with 2 arched headed
lights and relieving arch. Small slit window at higher level to south wall.
Continuous string course above this. Granite windows to top stage each with 2
arched lights and hoodmoulds to north west and south sides. Further granite string
to base of rubble parapet with granite copings to battlements. West window of north
aisle is C19 in freestone, Perpendicular style. 3 windows to north wall of north
aisle are C15 Perpendicular with Beer stone tracery, cinquefoil headed lights to
left one and trefoils to other two. Left window also has beerstone lower frame and
mullions, others are granite. North chancel, 2-light, window is freestone, flat
headed with trefoil tracery. East chancel window is C19 freestone in Decorated
style with pointed label and carved stops. South wall has 2 identical C19
Perpendicular style freestone windows close to porch left and towards stair turret
right of porch. Stair turret links nave to chancel. C20 lean-to vestry to right.
Porch has rendered pointed doorway with granite imposts. Inner granite doorway is
chamfered and similar to tower one but slightly pointed. Carved armoured angel in
niche over.
Interior has ogee moulded waggon C15/C16 roofs to nave, chancel and north aisle.
Chancel ceiling panels have painted stylised plant decoration. Wave moulded
standard B (Pevsner) piers to 3-bay arcade with 4 centred arches between nave and
north aisle. Cushion bases to responds. Several original rear arches. Rounded
rubble tower arch; C19 oak bell frame. Granite newel stair to rood loft with round
headed granite doorway. Narrow pointed granite doorway from vestry. Piscina on
shaft in chancel of reused Norman fragment with pellet moulded lower border.
Fittings include round Norman font with roll mouldings; C19 cover; C15/C16 oak
roof screen with some original timber in base but mostly C19 reconstruction; C19
pine pews with moulded rectangular ends; C19 reredos with cinquefoils, crocketed
pinnacles, guilloche and trailing vine frieze between with brattishing and painted
wall decoration above; C19 oak polygonal pulpit and C17 oak chest with 3 locks.
Principal monuments are to John Staplehill 1593 in chancel north wall with painted
praying figures on wood of himself, his wife, 4 sons and 4 daughters all within
arched recess with inscribed brass under; also very fine is marble pedimented
classical aedicule, to John Stooke and Mary his wife, with Corinthian capitals
enclosing portraits within oval medallions attached to east wall of aisle. Further
monuments to Stooke family on south wall of nave, one to William Stooke 1677 and
sons William 1676 and James 1677 with steep pediment surmounted by hour glass and
flanked by ball finials with skull and cross bones in tympanum.

Listing NGR: SX8559282176

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535934

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: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5