Nominal: 681 Hz Weight: 1803 lbs Diameter: 45" Bell 1 of 8
Founded by Gillett & Johnston 1914
Dove Bell ID: 6104 Tower ID: 13709 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Silverton: St Mary
Diocese of Exeter
Church, 615113
This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2025-11-06)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: SS 956 27
C14, 16 & 17; restored and chancel rebuilt 1863 by E Ashworth; 1880 restored by E Ashworth. The church is a Grade I Listed building.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Footprint of Church buildings: 408 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The present church dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. There must have been an earlier building on the site as Silverton was an Anglo-Saxon settlement and royal manor. The list of rectors goes back to 1273. It is understood that the nave of the church was wholly rebuilt in the early years of the 16th century by the then rector Lawrence Dobell whose rebus is to be found on the North-East pillar of the nave. A major reordering and rebuilding of the church took place in 1862-63 under the supervision of the architect, Edward Ashworth. The church had evidently been in a poor state and was described in notes made by the Exeter Diocesan Architectural Society in 1847 as ‘much dilapidated’. The chancel was extended eastwards and a new vestry built. It was in the course of this reordering that the rood screen was removed, and pine pews introduce into the church. The gallery over the south aisle was taken down. In or around 1880 an organ chamber was built onto the north side of the chancel. After the removal of the organ to the west gallery in 1972 this chamber has been used as a chapel (St Anne’s Chapel).
Exterior Description
The church walls are largely built of local volcanic trap stone, probably taken from one of a number of quarries in the area. At the west end is an impressive two-stage tower with two diagonal buttresses on the western corners, a buttress where the tower abuts the porch and a stair turret at the north-east corner. The tower was built in the second half of the fifteenth century and is the oldest part of the building.
Building Materials
Basalt
15th Century
Exeter Volcanics
Basalt
15th Century
Exeter Volcanics
Basalt
15th Century
Exeter Volcanics
Bath Stone
15th Century
Bath Stone
Bath Stone
15th Century
Bath Stone
Beer Stone
15th Century
Beer Stone
Interior
Interior Description
The nave has north and south aisles of four bays. The piers are constructed of Beer stone and are of standard section with well carved capitals. There are large four-light windows to the aisles built in an early perpendicular style. The windows to the north aisle are all in clear glass. The view of the congregation through these windows is of the surrounding hills and countryside. On the south side three windows are made of good quality stained glass by Warrington (1857), the east-end window by Ward and Hughes (1880). There is a small oak door set into the wall of the south aisle opening onto a spiral staircase that once gave access to the top of the rood screen. The stone door jambs of this door have been exposed during the recent decoration. There is a stone porch on the south side of the church. The church possesses a good mediaeval plastered and ribbed wagon roof with 36 roof bosses that is believed to be contemporary with rebuilding of the church in the early 16th century. These bosses were restored and some replaced in 1957 by local craftsman, Jack Perrin. At the west end of the church over the archway into the tower, there is a fine balustraded wooden gallery on columns installed around the middle of the 17th century. The gallery was moved forward in 1734 to give extra space and a second gallery constructed to house the church band. 10 panels attached to the front of the gallery at this date record the numerous charitable benefactions to the parish.
Bells
Nominal: 1363 Hz Weight: 515 lbs Diameter: 27" Bell 2 of 8
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1937
Dove Bell ID: 39265 Tower ID: 13709 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1284 Hz Weight: 546 lbs Diameter: 28" Bell 3 of 8
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1937
Dove Bell ID: 39266 Tower ID: 13709 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1144 Hz Weight: 612 lbs Diameter: 30.5" Bell 4 of 8
Founded by William Evans 1743
Dove Bell ID: 39267 Tower ID: 13709 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1019 Hz Weight: 669 lbs Diameter: 32.13" Bell 5 of 8
Founded by William Evans 1743
Dove Bell ID: 39268 Tower ID: 13709 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 909 Hz Weight: 775 lbs Diameter: 34.63" Bell 6 of 8
Founded by William Evans 1743
Dove Bell ID: 39269 Tower ID: 13709 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 857.5 Hz Weight: 901 lbs Diameter: 36.63" Bell 7 of 8
Founded by William Evans 1743
Dove Bell ID: 39270 Tower ID: 13709 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 765 Hz Weight: 1100 lbs Diameter: 39.75" Bell 8 of 8
Founded by William Evans 1743
Dove Bell ID: 39271 Tower ID: 13709 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SS 956 27
Burial and War Grave Information
The church/building is consecrated.
The churchyard has been used for burial.
The churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard has war graves.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
| Name | Status | Number found in this site |
|---|---|---|
| Common yew | Ancienttree | 1 |
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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