Description

ASHBURY
SX 59 NW
3/35 Church of St. Mary
-
22.2.67
GV II*

Redundant parish church. Late C16/early C17 Tower, the rest of the church totally
rebuilt in 1871-2 for Henry Wollcombe Archdeacon of Barnstaple. Coursed volcanic
stone rubble walls. Gable end slate roof with C19 decorative ridge tiles.
Plan comprises nave, chancel, west tower and south porch. The tower is late
C16/early C17 the remainder was rebuilt, reputedly on the plan of the original
church, in 1871-2 in Decorated style.
2 stage tower with diagonal buttresses, battlemented with 4 obelisk pinnacles.
Chamfered plinth. 2-light belfry openings which are square-headed. Round-headed
west doorway has hollow and roll mouldings terminating in scrolled head stops. At
the apex is a keystone with carved stone mask which may be re-used. 2-light window
above has 4-centred heads with recessed spandrels and a hoodmould which is peaked at
the centre. There are 2 small arched stair lights on the north side chamfered
plinth.
The rest of the church is C19 with a chancel lower than the nave. The name has 2 2-
light windows on each side which have plate tracery. On the south side the chancel
has a single cinquefoiled light with a trefoiled light to its right, on the north
side it only has a cinquefoiled light. Below it is re-used granite 4-centred arched
priest's door. The east window has plate tracery. Single storey gabled south porch
has 2-centred arched doorway.
Interior: The Tower arch is roundheaded with a chamfer and dropped keystone. The
C19 interior is simple but with some decorative detail such as the corbel stones of
carved foliage design on which the chancel arch rests. Exposed roof of paired
common rafters with collars and collar purlin, and arch-braced principal rafters.
The C19 fittings are fairly intact including trestle benches. Re-set in the tower
are 3 C17 memorial slabs and one of 1595 to Arthur Strowde.
This church retains an unusually late tower and the rest, despite being rebuilt in
the late C19, is well-designed with some simple but pleasing detail.
Source: Beatrix Cresswell - Churches in the Deanery of Okehampton

Listing NGR: SX5078897959

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537622

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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