Offwell Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary Basics
Listed building grade 1
Regularly open
Address
Ramsden Lane
Offwell
Honiton
EX14 9SA
Geographical coordinates
50°47’24.5″N 3°08’37.4″W (enter these in your smartphone navigator)
Devonchurchland says…
Offwell church is set in a slightly cramped churchyard with enough trees to hide its outside charms, though the flint and stone are a delicious change from most of Devon’s churches. We are approaching Dorset here, with its different geography.
Enter, ferret around a tad, and it has some truly wonderful gems.
The actual interior itself is a calm, simple, white. A place to sit and be still. A win for sure.
Then the fun begins, bare bums carved on a pillar capital being a good start. Very fun.
In the old north chapel there is a awesome old altar back (reredos) from the 16th century that is so Devon. It shows influences for sure, but the whole is in the grand tradition of Devon carving and it is a beaut.
Just in front of that an old font and font cover with a gorgeous eagle on top. A real find.
The stained glass is probably top of my list, and I am speaking as a total fan of traditional Devon carving. There is tiny fragment of Medieval glass in the north chapel window of the face of Christ that just takes my breath away, and in the chancel other stunning Medieval faces.
Then there are four roundels of Flemish 17th century glass, and if you are not yet a fan of Flemish stained glass I guarantee you will be by the end of your visit.
Still more, there is a portion of an old roodscreen, now serving as a tower arch screen, and it is a delight with 15th century paintings of saints and most of the original colour still there.
The lectern, last seen in the tower room, has a 17th century Franco-Flemish carving of the Last Supper inserted into it. A very, very good piece as it happens.
After all this, the beautiful pews and pulpit, and the space itself, which in another church would be highlights, are still there to be enjoyed.
Please take your time and do so.
Outline
PLAN
- Nave
- Chancel, narrower and lower
- North aisle, not quite full length
- North chapel now used as a baptistry
- C15 west tower
- Early C19 south porch
- Late C19 vestry on south side of the chancel
AGE
- C13 origins and some parts may be that early
- Most rebuilt in C15
- Restored by the Reverend Edward Copleston, Bishop of Llandaff and Dean
of St Pauls (d. 1849) - Refurbished in 1874 according to dated rainwater head
BUILT FROM
- Local stone and flint rubble
- Beerstone quoins and details
- Slate roof
Exterior
WEST TOWER
- 2 stages with diagonal buttresses
- Embattled parapet
- Semi-octagonal stair turret
- Projecting from the north side
- Belfry has single and double lancets
- Beerstone grilles
- West doorway a 2- centred arch with moulded surround
- Directly above is a 3-light window
- Perpendicular tracery
NAVE
- 3 bays
- Centre one with doorway and porch
- Either side of the porch are square-headed 3-light windows
- Trefoil-headed lights
- There are 3 more on the north side of the aisle
CHANCEL
- The south side a single rectangular light
- Most of this side lies behind the C19 gabled vestry
- Window with Decorated tracery
- East end a large 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery
- Similar windows each end of the aisle
PORCH
- Gabled
- diagonal buttresses
- Outer arch is a 2-centred arch in Early English style
- Moulded surround with caps to the shafts,
- Band of ballflower decoration
- Hoodmould with badges carved on the label stops
- Above is an old sundial
- Cobbled floor
- South doorway is a plain 2-centred arch
Interior
CHANCEL
- C19 Beerstone reredos
- Blind Gothic arcade
- Sedilia to south of the sanctuary and piscina to north are the same style
- C19 oak altar rail on Gothic style timber standards
- Stalls are C19 but made up from the C18 stalls with fielded panelling
NAVE & AISLE
- Tall tower arch with moulded surround
- Tower screen is 2 bays of a good C15 oak chancel screen
- From the Church of St Mary Major, Exeter in 1970
- The box pews were installed in 1798
Reconstructed in 1853 - Chancel arch is round (almost horseshoe shaped) headed with chamfered
surround - 3-bay arcade with moulded Beerstone piers (Pevsners type A)
- Carved capitals
- Fourth arch between chancel and north chapel has its soffit and sides lined with Beerstone trefoil-headed panels
- Walls are plastered
- Flagged floor
- Royal arms were painted in 1974
- Some painted texts were retouched at the same time
- C19 painted commandment boards either side of the south door
ROOFS
- Nave and aisle have ceiled wagon roofs
- Moulded purlins and ribs
- These maybe C15 but the carved bosses at least are C19 replacements
- The chancel has a plaster vault of indeterminate date
LECTERN
- Made in 1935
- Includes some good C17 oak carving
- Including a panel representing the Last Supper
- Last seen in the tower room
FONT(IN NORTH CHAPEL)
- Late C15 – early C16
- Beerstone with octagonal bowl carved with quatrefoil panels
- Enriched with 4-leaf motifs
- Carved foliage around the base
- Panelled stem
- A late C17 oak cover
- Broken ogee profile
- Surmounted by an eagle
- Hook for the former hoisting chain
PULPIT
- Fine 3-decker erected in 1724
- Missing only its sounding board
- Carved figures of the Evangelists were added to the panels in 1784
- It is said to conceal the stone base of the previous pulpit
OLD REREDOS (IN NORTH CHAPEL)
- Fine piece of carved C16 oak panelling
- Centre panel is a representation of Jesus carrying the cross
- Ranking panels have representations of the Evangelists
- May be Flemish
- Brought here by Bishop Copleston
MONUMENTS
- The oldest, in the aisle, is in memory of Joana Southcott (d. 1696)
- Plaque has a bolection frame under a swan-necked pediment
- Cartouche containing armorial bearings
- Apron below is carved foliage
- Over the south door a memorial to John Ford (d. 1729) and his wife Mary (d. 1742)
- The chancel contains group of C19 marble memorials
- Mostly to members of the Copleston family
STAINED GLASS
- Chancel south window is a collection of fragments of Medieval glass
- Medieval and C17 stained glass in the tracery of the chapel east window
- Some C19 stained glass
Other information
This church truly has some wonderful treasures that need to be ferreted out. Binoculars or a good zoom are a must for the glass.
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
