Clyst Honiton, Devon
Church of St Michael and All Angels, Clyst Honiton Devon
The nave, chancel and three stage west tower appear to be a 15c rebuilding of the earlier late 12c church from which the granite font survives. Everything much reordered with nearly all the detail (except for fabric in the north aisle) replaced in the 1875 restoration, when a new south chapel and south porch were added.
Unusually the chancel is taller than the nave.
The tower has low set-back buttresses and an embattled parapet. A semicircular stair turret with tiny slit windows and its own embattled parapet a little above the level of the main parapet projects from the north side. On top is a large 19c wrought iron weather cock. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/2j3170t2Qz There is also a 19c painted iron clock face in a moulded Hamstone frame.
The south chapel projects a little further forward and has steep gabled ends with coping and apex crosses. There is a narrow Hamstone priests door on the south side
The chancel has similar 19c gable coping and apex cross and flanking corner buttresses.
The interior of the church is also largely the result of the 1875 restoration. All the roofs date from that time. The nave and chancel lie under a continuous 6-bay roof comprising heavy arch-braced trusses springing from large timber corbels. There is a similar 2-bay roof in the south chapel and 4-bay roof to the north aisle.
Inside the tower the ringing floor is 19c but the stair doorway is the original 15c and has an ancient plank door hung on strap hinges. The Beerstone arcade to the north aisle is also 15c. .
The floor is made up of patterns of polychrome tiles and flagstones. The granite flag under the lectern has a fragment of an illegible 17c gravestone.
The chancel has a Beerstone reredos carved in Gothic style, the centre panel is plain as a background for the altar cross and flanked by painted portraits of St Gabriel and St Michael and flanked again by painted commandment boards. The oak altar is Victorian but appears to incorporate 17c heavy turned balusters, possibly from the former altar rails. The present 19c furnishings include and oak altar rail , Gothic stalls, low chancel screen, pulpit and tower screen. eagle lectern and plain pine benches. There is a contemporary brass chandelier in chancel.
The oldest and finest monuments have been reset together in the north aisle. There is a Beerstone table tomb with inset coat of arms is inscribed 'Here lieth John Paul Elquier who ended this liffe the third of Maye 1575' to which has been added 'and his wiffe Jenfr'
Above this is an undated 17c marble plaque in memory of Edward Yarde with a rhyming elegy and carved symbols of a skull, book, scythe, hourglass, etc., with ribbons and flanked by cherubs on their sides as wings, an open pediment above with coat of arms and more winged skulls & hourglasses.
Below the shelf heraldic achievements flank a bas relief carving of a shrouded corpse and the apron below contains a cherub.
Immediately to left of these a carved slate plaque in memory of John Short 1657 with four coats of arms
19c Monuments include those in memory of Harriet Collyns 1868 & Abraham Smith 1821 . Frederick le Mesurier 1868 &
white marble sarcophagus-shaped plaque in memory of John Franklin.1831
In the south chapel is a white marble plaque in memory of Barbara Force 1832 and husband William 1838.
There are also some loose fragments from demolished 17c monuments; a marble plaque in memory of Hugh Vaughan 1631 in the north aisle and in the south chapel an heraldic achievement and 2 carved putti.
There is Victorian stained glass in the chancel and early 20c stained glass in the nave and tower.
(All sounds interesting, but sadly this church must be kept locked as there are only external pictures on the internet)
An old wayside cross shaft has been moved into the graveyard , with a new cross added. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/6e6L1V1525
Picture with thanks - copyright Robin Drayton CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1322076
Clyst Honiton, Devon
Church of St Michael and All Angels, Clyst Honiton Devon
The nave, chancel and three stage west tower appear to be a 15c rebuilding of the earlier late 12c church from which the granite font survives. Everything much reordered with nearly all the detail (except for fabric in the north aisle) replaced in the 1875 restoration, when a new south chapel and south porch were added.
Unusually the chancel is taller than the nave.
The tower has low set-back buttresses and an embattled parapet. A semicircular stair turret with tiny slit windows and its own embattled parapet a little above the level of the main parapet projects from the north side. On top is a large 19c wrought iron weather cock. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/2j3170t2Qz There is also a 19c painted iron clock face in a moulded Hamstone frame.
The south chapel projects a little further forward and has steep gabled ends with coping and apex crosses. There is a narrow Hamstone priests door on the south side
The chancel has similar 19c gable coping and apex cross and flanking corner buttresses.
The interior of the church is also largely the result of the 1875 restoration. All the roofs date from that time. The nave and chancel lie under a continuous 6-bay roof comprising heavy arch-braced trusses springing from large timber corbels. There is a similar 2-bay roof in the south chapel and 4-bay roof to the north aisle.
Inside the tower the ringing floor is 19c but the stair doorway is the original 15c and has an ancient plank door hung on strap hinges. The Beerstone arcade to the north aisle is also 15c. .
The floor is made up of patterns of polychrome tiles and flagstones. The granite flag under the lectern has a fragment of an illegible 17c gravestone.
The chancel has a Beerstone reredos carved in Gothic style, the centre panel is plain as a background for the altar cross and flanked by painted portraits of St Gabriel and St Michael and flanked again by painted commandment boards. The oak altar is Victorian but appears to incorporate 17c heavy turned balusters, possibly from the former altar rails. The present 19c furnishings include and oak altar rail , Gothic stalls, low chancel screen, pulpit and tower screen. eagle lectern and plain pine benches. There is a contemporary brass chandelier in chancel.
The oldest and finest monuments have been reset together in the north aisle. There is a Beerstone table tomb with inset coat of arms is inscribed 'Here lieth John Paul Elquier who ended this liffe the third of Maye 1575' to which has been added 'and his wiffe Jenfr'
Above this is an undated 17c marble plaque in memory of Edward Yarde with a rhyming elegy and carved symbols of a skull, book, scythe, hourglass, etc., with ribbons and flanked by cherubs on their sides as wings, an open pediment above with coat of arms and more winged skulls & hourglasses.
Below the shelf heraldic achievements flank a bas relief carving of a shrouded corpse and the apron below contains a cherub.
Immediately to left of these a carved slate plaque in memory of John Short 1657 with four coats of arms
19c Monuments include those in memory of Harriet Collyns 1868 & Abraham Smith 1821 . Frederick le Mesurier 1868 &
white marble sarcophagus-shaped plaque in memory of John Franklin.1831
In the south chapel is a white marble plaque in memory of Barbara Force 1832 and husband William 1838.
There are also some loose fragments from demolished 17c monuments; a marble plaque in memory of Hugh Vaughan 1631 in the north aisle and in the south chapel an heraldic achievement and 2 carved putti.
There is Victorian stained glass in the chancel and early 20c stained glass in the nave and tower.
(All sounds interesting, but sadly this church must be kept locked as there are only external pictures on the internet)
An old wayside cross shaft has been moved into the graveyard , with a new cross added. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/6e6L1V1525
Picture with thanks - copyright Robin Drayton CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1322076