Hockworthy Church of St Simon and St Jude Basics
Listed building grade 2*
Regularly open
Address
Church of St Simon and St Jude
Hockworthy
Wellington
TA21 0NW
Geographical coordinates
50°58’01.8″N 3°22’07.5″W (enter these in your smartphone navigator)
Devonchurchland says…
Hockworthy parish alone is a joy, tucked away in the far North-East of Devon where outsiders seldom venture, with a pretty church in one of its main valleys.
The church is an interesting Victorian rebuild, charming on the outside, subtle and quietly enchanting on the inside. It is a careful and simple design.
There is good ironwork on the doors, lovely Devon marble pillars and some beautifully coloured Victorian stained glass.
In the chancel are some rare floor tiles, the Four Evangelist symbols surrounded by foliage, some very special stalls and a simple altar.
A lovely simple church worth a good wander.
Outline
PLAN
- Nave
- Lower and narrower chancel
- North aisle
- South porch
- West tower
- Vestry on north side of chancel
- In the C19 the tower was converted to the baptistry
AGE
- Norman font
- The tower is probably C15
- Heavily restored 1848
- Rest was rebuilt in 1865
- By the young architect Charles Durnford Greenway
BUILT FROM
- Local chert stone rubble to the tower
- Rest of the same stone but snecked
- Limestone detail
- Slate roof
Exterior
TOWER
- Plain
- Unbuttressed
- 2 stages
- Embattled parapet
- Belfry windows lancets
- West window is 2 lights
- Perpendicular tracery
- Hoodmould
- C19 stair turret
- Only to the ringing floor
- Projects square from south side
- External shoulder-headed doorway
ALL WINDOWS
- Plate tracery
PORCH
- Gabled
2-centred outer arch
South doorway is a similar smaller version
Interior
VARIOUS
- Plain tower arch to the baptistry
- 3-bay arcade
- Marble piers
- Moulded limestone capitals
- Walls plastered
- Floor is a chequer pattern
- Red and black tiles
Beerstone reading desk and pulpit - Latter on a marble stem
- Both have good brass fittings
- C19 pine box pews
- C17 oak chest
Painted Commandment boards - Flank the tower arch
ROOFS
- Nave and aisle have tall open scissor-braced common rafter truss roofs
- Chancel is also open
- Has arch-braced common rafter trusses
FONT
- Circa 1200
Volcanic trap
Cushion bowl
Since been planed down Cylindrical shaft and C19 square plinth
CHANCEL
- Double-chamfered arch
- Ring springing from moulded imposts
- Encaustic tiles in the sanctuary
Some representing the Evangelists - Beerstone reredos
- Blind Early English style arcade
- Enriched with some marble
- To left a trefoil-headed piscina
- Oak altar rail
- On twisted wrought iron standards
- Pine stalls
- C19 stained glass
Other information
The style is a mixture of Early English and Early Decorated
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