Sheepstor Church of St Leonard Basics
Listed building grade 1
Regularly open
Address
Church of St Leonard
Sheepstor
Yelverton
PL20 6PF
Geographical coordinates
50°29’27.8″N 4°01’53.4″W (enter these in your smartphone navigator)
Devonchurchland says…
Such a glorious Dartmoor church, granite through and through, a fantastic tower, well carved doorways, medieval granite windows that are just wondrous and set in a sweet churchyard. Delicious.
Above the south entrance there is a not-to-be-missed Memento Mori carving from the 17th century, to remind us that death is coming for all. It’s been placed here from elsewhere, and it is a powerful piece.
Inside there is a stunning early 20th century rood screen carved by Herbert Read in a very traditional Devon style, and it is a total winner; well proportioned and a beauty.
The chancel is covered in tiles, walls and floor, and is an impressive sight.
The bench ends are all by Violet Pinwill and her workshop and are another delights; historical scenes and Instruments of the Passion abound.
There is also a very moving alabaster wall memorial from the 17th century, bashed around but still a powerful piece.
Add on the proper granite interior and some good stand glass, and its position on the High Moor, and this is a church well worth a trip to.
Outline
PLAN
- Nave
- Chancel
- South aisle
- A very shallow north transept
- West tower
- South porch
AGE
- Circa late C15
- Restored in 1862
BUILT FROM
- Granite rubble wall
- Tower of granite ashlar
- Gable ended slate roof
Exterior
WEST TOWER
- Good 3 stage
- Battlemented
- Crenellated and crocketted pinnacles
- Moulded string courses and plinth
- 2-light belfry openings
- Cinquefoiled heads with a quatrefoil in between.
- 4-centred arched west doorway of Roborough stone
- Heavily moulded
- Incised leaf design in spandrels and square hood-mould
- Tall 3-light west window of Roborough stone
- Perpendicular tracery
- North side of the tower is a pentagonal stair turret
NORTH WALL
- The 2-light north windows all restored
NORTH TRANSEPT
- Very shallow
- A 2-light late C15 window of Roborough stone
- Cinquefoiled heads
- To the left of the transept
- A shallow projection
- Originally probably for the rood stairs
CHANCEL
- East window is 3-light
- With Perpendicular tracery
- Restored apart from its jambs
SOUTH AISLE
- 3-light Perpendicular east window
- Roborough stone
- South wall has four 2-light Perpendicular windows
- Alternating with granite ashlar buttresses
PORCH
- Single storey
- Gabled
- Similar doorway to tower.
- Above it is a recess
- Containing a grotesque carved stone
- In the form of a skull holding cross-bones in its mouth
- With ears of corn coming out of its eye sockets
- And an hourglass below
Interior
VARIOUS
- 4-centred arched granite south doorway
- With broad chamfer and straight cut stops
- 5 bay granite arcade to south aisle of Pevsner A-type piers
- Depressed 4-centred double-chamfered arches
- Similar chancel and transept arch.
- Tower arch is tall and more pointed
- Good modern rood screen of 1914
- An exact replica of the original removed in 1862
- C20 scissor brace roofs
- Probably C15 granite octagonal font
- Panelled pedestal and high relief shields on sides of bowl
MEMORIALS
- 2 C17 on north wall
- One of 1641 to Elizabeth Elford
- Alabaster
- With a figure of the lady semi-reclining, her baby beside her on the couch
- Three kneeling daughters by the bedside
- The other a slate plaque
- Commemorating members of the Elford family who were gentry of the parish
- It has 7 shields at the top carrying the arms of various members of the family
Other information
A very shallow north transept, possibly containing the Elford family pew
Restored in 1862 when rood screen was removed.
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