Description

BURRINGTON BURRINGTON
SS 61 NW

5/27
- Church of the Holy Trinity
20.2.67
GV I
Parish Church. C13 fabric to base of tower and north wall of nave and possibly
chancel; nave and chancel remodelled in C15 when south aisle and porch were added.
Restored 1869 by Haywood. Random stone rubble, roughly coursed to south aisle.
West end of south aisle and nave and tower are rendered. Granite and firestone
dressings. Slate roofs with coped gable ends, apex crosses and crested ridge tiles.
Plan: Apart from the Norman front, the earliest surviving features are the C13 base
to the transeptal tower and north wall of the nave and possibly chancel. The rest
of the nave and chancel were rebuilt in the C15 when the south aisle was added with
its arcade and large granite Perpendicular windows and south porch. The chancel may
have been largely rebuilt by Hayward in 1869 when its roof was replaced.
North transeptal tower of 3 stages with embattled parapet, short diagonal buttresses
and polygonal south-west stair turret. Tall 2-light transomed bell-openings on
north and east sides, single bell-opening on west side, all cusped-headed. C19 3-
light pointed arched window to base of north side with human head corbels to the
hoodmould. Clockface on east side above single trefoil-headed light window.
C19 Perpendicular-style pointed arched window of 3 lights to east end of chancel
with human head corbels. The Perpendicular south aisle windows are of Dartmoor
granite, the east window of 5 lights being particularly impressive; the outer
mullions are replacements, the inner mullions have cavetto flanking roll mouldings.
3 slate headstones attached to wall below to Sarah Snell (d.1738), James Forde
(d.1789) and James Batt (d.1814). The 3 Perpendicular windows to the right of the
south porch, of 3 lights each, have similarly moulded mullions, the right-hand
window above the C19 priests door being shorter. Gabled south porch with virtually
semi-circular headed Perpendicular doorway with heavily moulded granite surround and
C19 door of 2 leaves with iron spear-headed top-rails. Perpendicular C15 waggon
roof with carved bosses at the intersections of every third moulded rib. Round-
arched niche above 4-centred arched Perpendicular inner doorway with ogee moulded
granite surround and fine original framed and ledged door with applied cusped headed
tracery to front containing blank shield and cover strips originally forming 4
lights but central rib missing. C19 Perpendicular style pointed-arched window of 3
lights to left of porch with human head corbels to the hoodmould. Perpendicular
hoodmould and part of moulded surround to otherwise C19 west window to south aisle
with intersecting glazing bars. Large C19 4-light window to west end of nave with
large sexafoil traceried head and pointed arched hoodmould with human head corbels.
The 2 C19 nave north side windows are of 2 lights with quatrefoil traceried heads
and also have human head corbels to the pointed arched hoodmoulds.
Interior. Fine unceiled Perpendicular waggon roofs to nave and south aisle with
variously carved bosses at the intersections of every fourth moulded rib. The south
aisle has angel figures bearing shields at the base of each enriched rib at
intervals along the wall plates carved with trailing leaf decoration. The nave roof
wall plates are carved with floriate decoration. Crenellated wall plate to C19
chancel roof in same style.
Unmoulded C13 pointed tower arch. Fine granite south arcade of 5 bays with piers of
Pevsner A type with capitals to the main shafts only, decorated with abaci.
Fine Perpendicular chancel screen of 8 bays with open-panelled tracery of Pevsner
'B' type. Ribbed coving decorated with stalks and flowers, with 3 cornice bands and
cresting above.
Late C17 communion rails with alternating twisted and shaped balusters. Ogee-headed
piscina to south aisle and pointed arched piscina to chancel. Complete C19 nave
seating. Late C17 polygonal pulpit with fielded panelled facets. Norman font with
square bowl with scalloped base on circular stem, largely retooled.
Monuments: Chancel, north wall; marble wall tablet by Rowe of Exeter to Rev. James
Buckingham, Rector of Burrington for 50 years d. 1855 and to other members of
family. South wall; slate, nowy-arched to Ann daughter of Nicholas Hole, vicar
d.1769 and to Nicholas Hole d.1797. Tablet below piscina to William Harvey M.A.,
rector also for 50 years, d.1665 with verse. Nave, north side. Tablets to Sophia
Weeks (d.1826) and William Pennicott, Surgeon, of London (d.1747). South aisle.
Slate wall monument by Howell of Chulmleigh to Cooke family, late C18 and early C19.
Twin monument to John and Mary Babbage d.1799, also by Howell.
Stained glass to east window and to easternmost window on south side of south aisle
in memory of Matthew Thomas Loveband, Vicar.
Apart from the reroofing of the chancel and refenestration of the nave in the C19,
this is largely an imposing medieval church with fine Perpendicular roofs, screen
and granite dressings. The interesting transeptal position of the tower is shared
with several other Devon churches.

Listing NGR: SS6377516654

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526787

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

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)