Satterleigh Church of St Peter Basics
Listed building grade 1
Regularly open
Address
Church of St Peter
Satterleigh
South Molton
EX37 9DJ
Geographical coordinates
50°42’40.0″N 4°18’00.8″W (enter these in your smartphone navigator)
Devonchurchland says…
A perfect jewel found down a dirt track and through a farm yard, Satterleigh Church of St Peter is now well-cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust.
It has a beautiful near-unaltered 15th century exterior, with bellcote, and the entrance door is the same age, a real beauty.
The interior has been enchantingly evolved over the centuries, with the best being preserved.
Medieval bench ends and a 15th century ceilure are just the start, along with a similarly aged font. Following closely is a fine, rustic 17th century pulpit.
Then the 18th century text on the tympanum and walls, with the early 19th century coming into play with the chancel, laid out 18th century style. It is stunning.
Begging deservedly for our attention are the huge variety of late Victorian floor tiles, all in cream and rust-red, and all enchanting.
This rural church is a real outlier and well deserves visit and taking time to fully enjoy it.
Outline
PLAN
- Nave
- Bellcote at west end
- South porch
- Chancel only
AGE
- Principally early C15
- But may incorporate earlier fabric
- Interior remodelled in C18
- Chancel restored 1852
BUILT FROM
- South side of nave and south porch painted and rendered
- Otherwise unrendered stone rubble
- Chancel walls roughly coursed with ashlar quoins and dressings
- Weatherboarded bell-cote
Exterior
MAIN STRUCTURE
- C19 fenestration
- Straight-headed window of 3 trefoil headed lights to right of porch
- Pointed arched windows of 2 trefoil headed lights to each side of chancel
- And to east and west ends
PORCH
- Virtually semi-circular arched doorway
- With hollow-moulded surround
- C19 timber gate
- Plain ceiled barrel roof
- Fine C15 timber inner doorway
- ogee-headed
- With shallow hollow and ogee moulded surround
- In straight-headed similarly moulded surround
- Original ledged door of 2 wide planks
- With strap hinges, old lock and handle
Interior
NAVE
- Principally C19 or early C20 nave seating
- With decorative carved bench ends
- Some C16 carved bench ends survive
- Towards west end on south side of nave
- Tympanum over site of rood
- Inscribed probably in early C19
- With the Creed and Lords Prayer
- The sides filled with scroll-work bearing verses
- On north side of nave is a painted C18 cartouche
- With the opening 2 verses of Psalm 95
- Early C17 pulpit
- Panelled faceted drum
- Wooden tester over with moulded cornice
- Desk to north side
- Incorporating turned candlestick
- Painted Royal Arms of 1726 over south door
- Perpendicular-style font
- Octagonal, with quatrefoil panels
CHANCEL
- Nowy-headed commandment boards
- With moulded timber surrounds
- To each side of east window
- C19 altar rails
- Small altar table
- Patterned tiled floor
- Stained glass in east window to James Gould Esq and wife
- Both died 1857
- Wall monument to chancel south side to Henry Byre Esq. d.1821 and wife
- With heraldic crest in oval medallion to base
ROOFS
- Plain ceiled waggon roofs to nave and chance
- That to nave with 3 moulded ribs
- Carved bosses to the ridge
- And ornately carved ceilure of 12 panels
- With moulded ribs
- Diagonal struts
- Carved bosses at the intersections
Other information
Satterleigh Church is remarkable for its diminutive scale, its bell-cote, and the richness of its interior fittings, including C15 ceilure, C16 bench ends, C18 pulpit, tester and tympanum and painted text and modest C19 restoration.
External wall monuments to south side of nave to Robert Hatch d. 1699 to left of porch (recorded as being inside the Church in 1844) and to right of porch to Grace Webber d.1801 and John Webber d.1823 by Manning and to William Melhuish Esq. d.1770. Below east window, small stone with triangulated head to Thomas Collins d.1752.
Hat-pegs survive at intervals on each side of nave and chancel
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
