Branscombe Church of St Winifred Basics
Listed building grade 2*
Regularly open
Address
Church of St Winifred
Branscombe
Exeter
EX12 3DA
Geographical coordinates
50°41’24.8″N 3°08’25.0″W (enter these in your smartphone navigator)
Devonchurchland says…
Branscombe is a beautiful church down a long valley that leads to a wonderful beach and the sea.
It dates back almost certainly to Saxon times, nowadays we can see all the styles of the High and Late Medieval in one church: Norman, Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular.
There is fine medieval font and a gorgeous 18th century three decker pulpit, plus a brilliant 16th century gallery, one of the earliest in the country.
The interior is full of shifting light from the lovely assortment of windows.
The chancel and sanctuary are simple and wonderful, still keeping the old-style Laudian Communion rails.
On top of all this the sloping graveyard, dominated by this surprising big weathered-stone church. is a place to enjoy.
Definitely a church to make a trip to see.
Outline
PLAN
- Cruciform
- Central tower
- Nave
- North and south transept
- Chancel
AGE
- Parts maybe Saxon
- Otherwise the church shows a continuous development
- From the early C12 to the early C17
- Carefully restored according to SPAB principles circa 1911
AGE IN DETAIL
- Unusual cruciform plan with large central tower
- The tower has the oldest fabric
- Base could be Saxon.
- Main part of the tower is early C12
- So too is most of the nave
- Mid C13 transepts
- West of the tower
- Nave was lengthened at the same time
- Chancel was rebuilt in the early C14
- There are Decorated windows elsewhere
- East window was replaced in the time of Bishop Neville of Exeter (1458-64)
- Whole church was apparently refurbished then
- Top of the tower and the south porch are also from this time
- West end was refurbished in the late C16
- West gallery
- Gained by an external flight of stone steps
- There is here to see Saxon, Norman, Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular styles
BUILT FROM
- Local Salcombe stone rubble
- Neater in places, almost like ashlar
- Laid to courses
- Beerstone detail
- Slate roof
Exterior
WEST TOWER
- 3 stages
- Semi-circular stair to it projecting to north
- C15 parapet
- On top of a Norman corbel table of carved heads
- Belfry windows are a series of tall round-headed lancets
- South side lower stage has a 2-light window
- Decorated tracery
- Masonry at the base of tower shows herringbone chiselling
- Is thought by some to be Saxon
- This includes, on the south side, a blocked doorway
- With monolithic jambs and head
NAVE
- Main part has a Norman corbel table of carved grotesque heads
- C14 extension continues with shaped corbels
- North side is blind
- South side includes a C13 lancet and a 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery
- To left of them is the gabled south porch
- Segmental outer arch
- Behind it the south doorway is a 2-centred arch
- Chamfered surround
- Contains a C17 2-panel door
- Complete with original ferramenta and oak lock housing
- Left (west) of this a flight of stone steps up to the gallery
- Entered by Tudor arch doorway
CHANCEL
- Set back buttresses
- Each side two 2-light windows
- Original Decorated tracery
- Western ones have shuttered shoulder-headed openings below
- Now glazed
- Supposed to have been for ringing a handbell from at Communion
- East window is a large 5-light window
- Perpendicular tracery and hoodmould
- Dated by the arms of Bishop Neville on the label stops
- Buttress of the south-east corner of the chancel forms the gnomon of an unusual
sundial
- Casts a shadow up till midday on the wall
- Hours are marked by Roman numerals
WEST END
- 2-centred arch doorway
- Moulded surround and hoodmould
- Restored 3-light window
- Decorated tracery
TRANSEPTS
- North transept still lit by an original lancet
- South transept has a C14 2-light window
- Decorated tracery
- Doorway dated 1911
- Blocked embrasures of more lancets are revealed inside
Interior
NAVE
- South side blocked remains of a late Norman doorway exposed
- Traces of original paint on it
- Window reveals are plain
- Flag floor incorporates some ancient graveslabs
- Walls are plastered
- North wall includes a part of the good C16 wall painting
- Supposed to represent the sin of lust
- Original chancel screen appears to have been at the west end of the tower
- Therefore the rood door comes off the tower stair
- Both doorways survive
- Lower one with an ancient plank door
- Lectern is dated 1912
- Early C20 benches
- Some C17 furniture
- Notably a carved oak bench end
- And a panelled chest inlaid with marquetry
GALLERY
- At the west end
- Late C16 oak gallery
- Carried on turned oak posts
- Panelled oak front enriched with carving
- After the collapse of the 1911 vestry a new one was built in 1951
- Under the gallery
- It is lined with C17 panelling
ROOFS
- C15 open wagon roof
- Moulded ribs and purlins and carved oak bosses
- Transepts, chancel and porch have common rafter roofs
- Straight arch braces
- Now open
- Renovated in 1911
- Tower has a C19 ceiling to the ringing floor
CENTRE ARCHES
- Each end of the tower are tall plain 2-centred arches
- Soffit-chamfered imposts
- Tall arches from nave to transepts
- Double-chamfered arch rings springing from moulded corbels
- Act as capitals for half engaged clustered piers
NORTH TRANSEPT
- North transept has a C13 piscina and an aumbry
- Oak door of the latter is late C19
- Apparently incorporates some C17 carving
- Some contemporary box pews
FONT
- Good C15 Beerstone
- Octagonal bowl with quatrefoil panels
- Enriched with four leaf motifs and shields
- Around the bottom a bold wreath of foliage
- Coming from the mouth of a “green man” and stem of blind panels
- It was brought here from East Teignmouth in 1911
PULPIT
- Good late C17 ‘three decker’ pulpit
- Lower clerks desk is pine
- Rest is oak
CHANCEL
- East window has half engaged shafts
- Capitals carved as angels holding shields
- Head is moulded
- A projecting string course around the chancel
- Dips below the lower western windows
- South of the sanctuary remains of a good C14 4-step sedilia and piscina
- Cusped ogee arches
- One arch was replaced in 1911
- Another has fragments of a C16 text painted on it.
- The altar table is C19
- Fenced in Laudian style by the C17 oak altar rails with twisted balusters
- Early C20 stalls in Gothic style
- Chancel screen at east end of the tower is late C17
- Comprises a grille of turned oak balusters on a low Beerstone wall
- Contemporary double doors
MONUMENTS
- Good
- Oldest is a graveslab erected in the sanctuary
- Inscribed with a cross and may be C13
- Best has been re-erected in the north transept
-
- Commemorates Joan Wadham who died 1583
- On a plain table tomb is a Beerstone plaque
- Flanked by pilasters with pedimented head
- On it are carved in bas relief her 2 husbands
- Facing each other
- Kneeling in prayer
- Behind each of them is a smaller figure of Joan
- Behind each of these her children
- Alongside is simpler copy bearing a coat of arms only
- Erected in memory of Elias Holcombe
- Died in 1585
-
- In the south transept
- A good Beerstone monument
- In memory of Anna Bartlett (d.1660)
- Comprises a chest tomb carved with cartouches
- Lid is supported on pairs of Ionic columns
- Plaque above has an architectural frame in similar style
- Inscription includes an interesting epitaph
- A good Beerstone monument
- The nave includes
- 2 impressive Stuckey marble mural monuments
- With a board painted with their arms between
- William and Mary Stuckey died 1773 and 1763
- John Stuckey died in 1810
- 2 impressive Stuckey marble mural monuments
- Several other interesting mural plaques
- Particularly in the chancel
Other information
This is probably one of the best churches in Devon, probably because it belonged to the Benedictines of Exeter Cathedral and bishops have evidently taken an interest in it.
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
