Molland Church of St Mary Basics
Listed building grade 1
Regularly open
Address
Molland Church of St Mary
Molland
Bishop’s Nympton
EX36 3NG
Geographical coordinates
51°02’32.7″N 3°42’09.1″W (enter these in your smartphone navigator)
Devonchurchland says…
An extraordinary church set on a beautiful hillside between the Exmoor high moorlands and the fertile Devon valleys.
The stone is beautifully coloured and the stonework itself is a joy.
Alongside this there some fun stone creatures running around the top of the tower, or just sitting comfortably up there.
The interior is where the extraordinary says hello; a near unaltered early 18th century rustic interior, described as ‘one the best in the country’.
Box pews to die for, a triple-decker pulpit, flagstones, and Commandment Boards and a Royal Coat of Arms facing the congregation on the tympanum separating off the chancel. It is a true glimpse into a vanished world.
Then there are the wall memorials, a gorgeously florid collection of 17th and 18th century confections, arguably the best one in the chancel with its very moving backstory.
Under one of the memorials a real sweet 1650/80 Ascension scene has been added, really lovely.
Some good stained glass, a bit of the old rood screen (?), there is so much to discover here.
As a historical church, it is in the top ten of Devon, as a place of sprit and beauty it is just wonderful.
Outline
PLAN
- 3-bay nave with south porch in second bay from west
- 4-bay north aisle
- Narrower 2-bay chancel
- West tower
AGE
- Mid-C15 tower, nave and north aisle
- North aisle remodelled in the early C16
- Probably C17 porch
- South-east part of nave south wall probably C12
- See coursed rubble masonry to left of porch
- Interior redecorated and refitted in the early C18
- East wall of north aisle rebuilt or refaced in 1772 (datestone)
- Church repaired in 1902
- South and east walls of chancel refaced or rebuilt, aisle eaves raised
- Probably in 1902
- Roofs and windows restored in 1935-9, by Mr W.A. Forsyth
BUILT FROM
- Mainly squared and coursed sandstone
- Sandstone and limestone ashlar dressings
- Snecked masonry in the chancel, probably of 1902
- Porch and part of south aisle (probably C20 work) of coursed stone rubble
- Internal arcade of Beer stone
- East gable end of nave slate hung
- Gable-ended Welsh-slate roofs
Exterior
WEST TOWER
- 3-stage
- Chamfered plinth
- Diagonal buttresses with chamfered offsets
- String courses, parapet string with carved gargoyles at corners
- Battlemented parapet with chamfered coping
- Half-octagonal stair turret to north-east
- Square base with splays at first string-course level
- Projecting above tower parapet
- Separate battlemented parapet
- Gilded weathervane
- Small chamfered rectangular stair windows
- Belfry openings of 2 louvred cinquefoil-headed lights
- Pierced quatrefoils in tympanum
- Chamfered reveals
- South side with trefoil-headed window to second stage
- Empty niche to first stage
- Weathered cusping
- West window to second stage
- 3 cinquefoil-headed lights
- Panelled tracery
- Trefoiled heads
- Hollow-chamfered reveals
- String course carried over as hoodmould
- Old nail-studded boarded west door
- Continuously-moulded arch
- Clock to second stage
- Weathered gilded arms and letters
- Probably C19 hoodmould with scrolled stops
- Weathering over nave roof on east side
NORTH AISLE
- Three later buttresses with chamfered offsets
- Restored C16 square-headed windows
- Of 2 and 3 hollow-chamfered elliptical-arched lights
- Chamfered reveals and returned hoodmoulds
- Reset, restored or C19 east window
- 3 ogee cinquefoil-headed lights
- Panelled tracery
- Returned hoodmould
- Chamfered rectangular opening of c.1902 in apex of gable
- Weathered C18 datestone below
- Inscribed “1722″
- Blank west end
- With C1902 chamfered rectangular opening in apex of gable
CHANCEL
- Pair of C19 chamfered trefoil-headed lancets to south
- Central C19 Tudor-arched priest’s doorway
- Nail-studded boarded door
- Restored C15 east window
- 3 ogee cinquefoil-headed lights
- Panelled tracery and hoodmould (formerly returned)
NAVE
- Pair of C15 windows
- 3 cinquefoil-headed lights each
- Cusped panelled tracery and hollow-chamfered reveals
- Left-hand window with returned hoodmould
- Slate headstone fixed to right of right-hand nave windows
- In memory of Thomas and Sarah Pincombe
- And their family of 6 sons and daughters
- Died in a shipwreck along, with 187 fellow passengers
- 3 May 1855, six hours after leaving Plymouth for Quebec
- Off Cornwall near St Keverne on the Manacle Rocks
- Chamfered segmental-headed lancet in east end of nave
- Possibly reset or made-up
PORCH
- Probably C16 or C17 gabled stone porch
- Round-arched entrance
- C20 wooden gates
- Two pieces of reset probably C12 masonry
- Billet ornament
- To right of entrance and to right-hand side
- Weathering on wall of nave to rear
- Interior of porch with stone floor & wooden side benches
- Plastered barrel-vaulted ceiling, possibly over C16 or C17 roof
- Old oak wall plate to outside
- Central chamfered segmental-arched doorway with plain stops
- Old nail-studded boarded door with late C19 ribbing
- Old wrought-iron strap hinges
Interior
GENERAL, NAVE AND AISLE
- Notably unrestored interior with mostly pre-C19 fixtures and fittings
- Early C16 north aisle arcade of 4-bays
- Pevsner type-B piers
- Moulded bases
- Carved foliated capitals (each one different)
- Moulded arches
- Headless carved figure (probably of Saint Mary Magdalene)
- In a niche on the easternmost pier
- Corbel base
- Crocketed trefoil-headed canopy with pinnacles
- C15 triple-chamfered tower arch
- Inner 2 chamfers dying into responds
- Outer stilted and continuous
- Chamfered-arched doorway below tower to stair turret,
- Probably C15 nail-studded boarded door
- Windows with splayed jambs
- Two C18 chests at west end
- Larger one with locks
- C18 benefactors’ boards below tower
- Plaster or wooden Tudor rose on north wall of chancel
- Possibly former roof boss
- Organ of 1877 at west end of aisle,
- Presented by James Quartly of West Molland
- Old stone floors
- Except for late C19 encaustic tiles in chancel
- Old plaster walls
- Bells of the C14 and C15 and of 1562, c.1700 and 1908
- Top part of old bell at west end of nave, with inscription,
- Probably one of the early bells from the tower
FONT
- C12 stone font
- Square base
- Stumpy circular stem
- Lead-lined square bowl
- Scalloped sides
- C20 wooden cover
BOX PEWS
- Extensive C18 box pews
- Raised and fielded panels (2 panels) high
- Beaded corners and edges of doors etc.
- H-hinges and moulded rails
- Interiors with shaped legs and angled book rests
- Larger pews in chancel
- That to north with inlaid heraldic shield on door
- Moulded top rail ramped up to corners
- Seats inside with ovolo-moulded edges and shaped solid legs
PULPIT
-
- C18 triple-decker wooden pulpit on north side of aisle
- Raised and fielded panels
- Moulded surrounds
- Panelled pilasters at corners
- Deep moulded cornice, breaking forward over pilasters
- Overhanging desk
- 2 probably C19 brass condlesticks
- Back board with beaded corners
- Round-arched raised and fielded panel
- Moulded surround
- Shaped top with key
- Tester with deep moulded cornice
- Breaking forward at corners
- Inlaid 6-sided star pattern to underside
- Ogee top with moulded cap
- Surmounted by carved figure of an angel blowing the last trump
- Interior of pulpit with bench and foot rest
- All panels with cross-grained edging to raised centre
- Reader’s desk and clerk’s desk with raised and fielded panels
- Old C18 egg cup and base near pulpit at time of survey
- (July 1987)
TOWER SCREEN
- Made-up tower screen (dedicated in 1977)
- Incorporating pair of C18 doors
- 3 raised and fielded panels each, under round arch
- Panelled sides made up from former box-pew doors
- (some box-pews have been removed from the west end at some time)
- C18 west gallery above
- Narrow turned balusters
- Beaded square top rail
- Wrought-iron spikes
ROOFS
- Restored ceiled waggon roof to nave
- Moulded ribs and bosses
- Incorporating C15 moulded ridge-piece
- Reducing in size at east end
- Possibly for former ceilure
- Early C16 waggon roof over aisle
- Moulded wooden ribs, walls plates and carved bosses
- Four early C20 tie-braces with brackets at each end
- Springing from stone corbels
- C18 plastered barrel roof over chancel,
- Possibly over earlier construction
FITTINGS
- Communion table of c.1700
- Turned columnar legs, unmoulded stretchers and moulded top
- Breaking forward over legs
- Section of medieval carved panelling reused as reredos
- Possibly part of former screen
- Consisting of 7 tall panels with tracery and foliate carving
- Oak altar rails of c.1700
- Barley sugar balusters, turned columnar balusters at each end
- Flanking central gate
- Moulded top rail with some inlay over standards
- Early C18 chancel screen
- Possibly incorporating fragments of former medieval screen
- Raised and fielded panels below
- Open above with beaded square posts and beaded top rail
- Central round archway with moulded architrave
- Key and flanking panelled pilasters supporting moulded cornice
- Breaking forward over pilasters
- Late C19 or C20 wooden gate
- Solid raised and fielded lower panels
- Dished top rail with scrolled ends
- C18 plastered tympanum above
- Royal Arms in square frame and inscription in lunette over
- “1808 I. Mogridge Churchwarden. Rowland’s Painter’s”
- Flanking contemporary commandment boards
- In round-headed frames flanking arms
- All retaining ancient colour
- Sole plate of former medieval screen still in situ in north aisle
- (see mortice)
STAINED GLASS
- Fragments of old heraldic glass in east window of north aisle
- C19 memorial windows
- To William Rossiter esq and his wife, of South Molton,
- Other C19 windows
- Remaining windows of C19 diamond-leaded clear glass
- Old wrought-iron stanchions and saddle bars
MONUMENTS
- Good series of memorials of the C17 and C18
- Especially those to the Courtenay family
- North aisle, North wall
- Baroque wall monument in limestone with ancient colouring
- Rectangular bolection-moulded frame
- Containing inscription to “the Right Worshipful John Courtenay”
- Died 1660 and his son John died 1684
- To either side marble Corinthian columns supporting an entablature
- On top a central armorial cartouche
- Surmounted by scrolled pediment, feathers and skulls
- With mourning angels and urns
- On either side the monument has husked buttress scrolls
- Below, between the brackets which support the shelf, a subsidiary but integral pendant inscription
- On a convex oval with foliated cartouche on a small lion’s mask corbel
- To Margaret, John Courtenay’s wife, who died 1684
- Cherubs on the brackets below the monument
- And centrally in the frieze.
- North aisle, east wall
- Wall tablet of finely-engraved pale grey limestone
- Inscriptions with arms below
- All in simple veined marble frame
- To Elizabeth Shapcoate died 1700
- Traces of ancient colour
- Baroque wall monument of limestone and grey marble
- In bold relief with inscription in convex oval
- To John Courtenay died 1724
- Flanked by Corinthian pilasters
- Supporting an entablature with broken segmental pediment
- At the top a central armorial cartouche
- A mourning angel reclining to either side
- A large moulded shelf on acanthus brackets supports the tablet
- Carries two winged figures of infants supporting shields
- In the apron below the monument is a convex oak inscription
- To George Courtenay died 1731
- In wreathed and husked frame
- Below it, a pair of skulls with bat’s wings
- (possibly from John Courtenay monument above)
- Chancel, north side
- Limestone wall monument
- To the Honourable John Courtenay
- Died 1732
- (this monument is very similar to that in the north aisle to John Courtenay died 1724)
- The inscription also commemorates Margaret, wife of John Courtenay
- Died 1743
- In a rectangular frame between Corinthian pilasters
- With entablature (scrolled to centre)
- And broken segmental pediment
- Armorial cartouche and reclining mourning angels above
- On the large shelf below the inscription stand 2 life-sized putti
- With shields of arms
- In the space between 2 scrolled brackets below an oval relief
- Possibly ex situ
- The Ascension with 2 cherubim below again.
- Below this monument is a stone chest
- Probably assembled from parts of a C15 chest tomb
- It has shields of arms in quatrefoil sinkings
- Foliage carving in the spandrels
- Enclosing this chest and the 1724 and 1732 Courtenay wall monuments
- A probably C17 painted wrought-iron gate
- Alternate diamond-set and twisted stanchions
- Ball and spear finials
- All fixed together with forelock bolts.
- Large complex wall monument also on north wall of chancel
- Erected 1664
- To David Berry
- “minister of this church died 1653/4” (sic)
- The monument is of various marbles
- Retains some old colouring retouched
- Convex oval inscription in scrolled and husked frame
- The monument breaks forward in 3 planes
- To either side Corinthian columns supporting a pulvinated frieze
- And segmental pediment
- Which contains an achievement of arms
- Surmounting all, a large urn
- Winged infants on either side
- One with cherub corbel below
- Swags of fruit and flowers on either side
- Nave, south wall:
- Neo-classical round headed wall tablet
- Grey and white marble
- To Frances and William Dovell
- Died in the wreck of the Adelaide in 1850
- In the tympanumn a relief of a shipwreck
- By J. Thomas, Bristol
- Neo-classical wall tablet of grey and white marble
- To Henry Quartly 1840
- Neo-classical wall table of grey and white marble
- To Mary Jane Ronite died 1832 and Lucy Ronite died 1838
- Timber wall tablet in shaped and lugged frame
- Surmounted by 3 urns
- With cherub in the shaped head
- Retains old colours
- To Henry Quartly died 1810 and Margaret Quartly died 1824
Other information
Although the fabric is now largely C15 the size of the nave and chancel probably reflect the extent of an earlier building.
The C15 aisle extends across both nave and narrower chancel which is unlikely to have occurred if the church had been of one phase and not incorporated either earlier fabric or merely an earlier plan.
Evidence of rebuilding or refacing of centre part of nave south wall, probably in the C17 (see break forward and probably C17 arched doorway).
In the C12 William de Botreaux gave the advowson of the church of Molland and Knowstone to Hartland Abbey.
Molland Church has one of the best examples of an unrestored interior in the country..
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