Weight: 1456 lbs Diameter: 41.63" Bell 1 of 5
Founded by George Davis 1784
Dove Bell ID: 6436 Tower ID: 13897 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Stoke Rivers: St Bartholomew
Diocese of Exeter
Church, 615485
http://www.shirwellmissioncommunity.org.uk/stoke-riversThis 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 633 354
Mainly late C15/early C16. Restored 1880's and 1905 by Tamlin
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower,nave and chancel, south aisle and south porch. The vestry is located in the east end of the south aisle.
Footprint of Church buildings: 207 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The church is largely 15th century Perpendicular but the fenestration of nave and south aisle was altered later, possibly about 1618 when a faculty records the rebuilding of the parsonage house. The church was restored in 1832 at which time the chancel was lengthened and many important fittings were transferred to Weare Giffard Church and Hall by the then owner of the Hall. The church was further repaired in 1891, but the restoration which was responsible for giving the church its present internal arrangement was conducted by W.J. Tamlyn of Minehead in 1905 at a cost of £300.
Exterior Description
The church is built throughout of unsquared local limestone blocks. Both nave and aisle are articulated with crudely stepped buttremsses, the set offs of which are at right angles to the buttresses. The south aisle is finished with angle buttresses at each end. The fenestration of nave and aisle is uniform and windows are divided by the buttresses in each bay.
The nave and aisle are under separate low pitched roofs which date from 1832, but the pitch of the original roof may be seen on the east face of the tower. The chancel roof is, surprisingly, slightly higher than that of the nave.
the tall west tower of three stages is extremely prominent. An attached stair turret rises at the south east from a rectangular base through a demi-octagon for two stages to an embattled top which is slightly higher than the embattled parapet of the tower. The turret is lit by tiny quatrefoils and slits. The tower itself is of rectagular section and the narrow east and west faces emphasize the low pitch of the slated nave and aisle roofs. The stages are divided by string courses and on the west are stepped angle buttreses. The rainwater spouts are good original grotesque animal heads.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
The east window shows a Crucifixion with landscape background. It is a memorial of 1896 and is in the Heaton Butler and Bayne style.
Interior
Interior Description
Nave, chancel and aisle roofs are coiled and rest on moulded cornices. The very low pitch of the nave ceiling has necessitated both the raising of its eastern end to the level of the chancel ceiling and the clearance of the tower arch by its western end. This sense of irregularity is emphasised by the slight projection of the nave north wall beyond that of the chancel north wall. The tower arch is double chamfered and dies into the responds, but the responds and outer arch are finished with a continuous single chamfer. Allwalls except the nave west wall are plastered and whitened and the aisle west wall shows extensive signs of the salmon pink colourscheme adopted at the 1905 restoration. The church is arcaded in four bays with piers of Devon 'B' type, (i.e. with a wave moulding to each of the four hollows) and the capitals are of roughly carved block type. Capitals and fillets are continuous and the arches are chamfered and of standard type. The south aisle east wall stops short of the chancel east wall as it was not included in the enlargement of 1832. Floors are cemented but the chancel is paved with encaustic tiles and mediaeval tiles have been grouped in areas at the west end of the church.
Fixtures and fittings
Lectern
1860
Large, of Beer stone and of bookrest type. A pillar stern is supported on each face by panelled crocketted buttresses.
Chest
In the south aisle, Of early 18th century appearance with a little carved decoration, it was given in 1960.
Rail
Communion Rails: with turned balusters, some of which are original 18th century.
Reredos
With three fabric panels depicting the Annunciation.
Pulpit
Octagonal and apparently constructed in 1831-2 to incorporate the remaining fragments of the Renaissance wood carving in the church. The panels are bench ends of c.1520 with busts and portraits in medallions in some panels and plant motifs in others. Narrower panels depict mermen and grotesque creatures.
Font (object)
Circular bowl, stem and stepped based, probably 13th c. The wooden cover is an attractive piece of late 17th c. or early 18th c. appearance. It is octagonal, ribbed, slightly concave and crowned by a small finial.
Bells
Diameter: 29.5" Bell 2 of 5
Founded by George Davis 1784
Dove Bell ID: 40889 Tower ID: 13897 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Diameter: 30.5" Bell 3 of 5
Founded by George Davis 1784
Dove Bell ID: 40890 Tower ID: 13897 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Diameter: 33" Bell 4 of 5
Founded by George Davis 1784
Dove Bell ID: 40891 Tower ID: 13897 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Diameter: 36.5" Bell 5 of 5
Founded by George Davis 1784
Dove Bell ID: 40892 Tower ID: 13897 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SS 633 354
Burial and War Grave Information
The church/building is consecrated.
The churchyard has been used for burial.
The churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether 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.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
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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