Slapton

194. SLAPTON.

(O.S. 6 in. xxiv. S.E.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of the Holy Cross, stands at the E. end of the village. The walls of the chancel are faced externally with brick, and are internally of clunch; the other walls are rendered with Roman cement. The roofs are covered with lead. The earliest structural detail is that of the chancel arch, which is of late 13th-century date. The Nave and Aisles have no detail earlier than c. 1320; the westernmost bays of the arcades are narrower than the other bays, possibly on account of the existence of a W. tower on the site of the present Tower, which was built in the second half of the 15th century; the clearstorey, many of the other windows and possibly the North Porch are also of that date. In the 19th century the chancel was re-built, or encased with brick, the North Vestry added, and the whole church restored.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (30 ft. by 15 ft.) has modern detail, except the late 13th-century chancel arch, which is two-centred and of two chamfered orders, with a label, probably modern, on the W. side; the chamfered jambs have semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals and modern bases, and, on the W. side, the outer order has trefoiled stops at the level of the capitals. The Nave (33 ft. by 14½ ft.) has N. and S. arcades of four bays, the westernmost bay on each side being narrower than the others; the two-centred arches are of two chamfered orders with ogee stops above the capitals, the stops of the inner orders having a leaf carved on them; over the arches are moulded labels; the pillars are octagonal, and the responds semi-octagonal, with moulded capitals and modern bases; the arcades are of c. 1320, but part of the work apparently has been re-tooled, and some of the pillars have been partly re-built with the old stone and patched with new stone. The clearstorey is faced internally with ashlar, and has, on each side, three windows of late 15th-century date, each of two trefoiled lights under a four-centred head. The North Aisle (6½ ft. wide) has, in the N. wall, two 15th-century windows, each of three cinque-foiled lights under a square head; E. of the western window is the N. doorway, of late 14th or early 15th-century date, with jambs and pointed head of two chamfered orders. The South Aisle (6 ft. wide) has, in the S. wall, three windows; the easternmost is probably of late 14th-century date, and is of three trefoiled lights under a square head, with moulded internal jambs and depressed four-centred rear arch; the other two windows are similar to those in the N. aisle, but the westernmost has a moulded rear arch and internal label, possibly of earlier date than the rest of the stonework: the S. doorway, E. of the westernmost window, is of late 14th or early 15th-century date; the jambs and two-centred head are of two orders, the inner order chamfered and the outer moulded, with a moulded label. The West Tower (11 ft. by 10 ft.) is of two stages, the lower stage being of two storeys, and partly enclosed by the aisles; at the W. angles are diagonal buttresses, and in the S.W. angle is a stair-turret; the parapet of the tower is embattled. All the detail is of the 15th century. The two-centred tower arch is of two chamfered orders, the inner order springing from moulded corbels, the outer dying into the walls; there are no responds, but the chamfered edges of the walls have ogee-stops below the corbels. The W. doorway and all the windows have been much restored; the doorway has hollow-chamfered jambs and four-centred arch under a square head; the spandrels and moulded external label are covered with cement: the W. window is of three trefoiled lights under a four-centred head. In the S.W. corner, opening into the stair-turret, is a doorway with a four-centred head. The upper storey of the ground stage has a plain four-centred light in the N. wall. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two cinque-foiled lights with a quatrefoil in a four-centred head. The North Porch has a pointed entrance archway covered with cement; against each side wall is an old bench, of stone. The Roof of the nave is of late 15th-century date, and of three bays with arched trusses on moulded corbels; the principals and purlins are moulded. The flat lean-to roofs of the N. and S. aisles are of the 15th century, and have moulded principals and purlins. In the ceiling of the ground stage of the tower are some old joists.

Fittings—Bells: five and sanctus; 2nd by George Chandler, 1681; sanctus probably 17th-century. Brackets, for images: In nave—on W. side of easternmost pillar of S. arcade, with defaced shield in front. In porch—over N. doorway, semi-octagonal. Brasses and Indents: In chancel—at E. end, N. side, (1) of Reynold Manser, 1462, rector of the parish, half-figure of priest in Mass vestments, with inscription in Latin, and indent of shield; on S. side, (2) of Thomas Knyghton, rector of the parish, 1529, small figure of priest in Mass vestments holding chalice and Host, inscription broken in two pieces, lines of figure and letters filled with black composition. In N. aisle—(3) of James Tornay, yeoman of the Crown to Henry VIII., 1519, and Amye and Elizabeth, his wives, three figures, man in fur-lined gown with long sleeves having slits in upper part for the passage of the arms, badge of a crown on left shoulder; wife on each side of him, inscription, and two groups of children, one of three sons and two daughters, the other of four sons and five daughters. Communion Table: with fluted rails and turned legs, 17th-century, but has been heightened and enlarged. Doors: In S. doorway—with two ornamental strap-hinges and three crosses, probably 15th-century, much restored; similar ironwork on N. door. Font: circular bowl with tapering sides, chamfered at the bottom, of rough limestone, probably 13th-century; circular stem with re-cut capital, of clunch, evidently of later date than bowl, possibly part of column and capital, re-used. Niches: In N. aisle—in E. wall, two, one above the other; lower niche with sill about 4 ft. above floor, fairly wide, and having chamfered jambs and depressed two-centred head; upper niche, narrower than the other, with four-centred head; both probably 15th-century. Paintings: On chancel arch— remains of red and yellow colour. Plate: includes cup of 1662, flagon of 1689. Screens: In N. aisle —at E. end, loose, five fragments of carved and painted rood-screen, 15th-century, much damaged. Tiles: In chancel—in floor, twenty, encaustic, 14th-century. Miscellanea: In nave—scratched on middle column of N. arcade, " i h c" in black-letter.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). Homestead Moat, surrounding Horton Hall.

Condition—Good.

Main road, E. side

(3). The Carpenters' Arms Inn, about 330 yards W. of the church, is of two storeys, except the S.E. part, which is of one storey. It was built early in the 17th century, on a rectangular plan; late in the same century a small wing was added on the N. side, making the plan T-shaped, and a modern shop fills the N.W. angle. On the W. front and S. side the lower storey of the original building is of modern brick, the upper storey has old timber-framing with brick filling, and in front has a half-hipped gable; the S. wall of the one-storeyed part is also of timber and brick; on the N. side the projection of the upper storey is visible inside the shop, and the late 17th-century wing is of timber and brick. The roofs are thatched. Interior:—There is a wide open fireplace, partly blocked, and some timbers show in the walls and ceilings; the roof has braced purlins.

Condition—Fairly good.

Monuments (4–6)

These cottages are of two storeys, built probably in the 17th century; they retain some original timber-framing with brick filling, but have been much restored with modern brick; the roofs are tiled or thatched.

(4). Cottages, two adjoining, S. of (3). At the N. end is a half-hipped gable; at the S. end is a weather-boarded addition, also gabled. Interior: —In the ceilings are a few old joists.

Condition—Fairly good.

W. side

(5). Cottages, two, adjoining, 180 yards S.W. of (4), set back from the road.

Condition—Fairly good.

(6). Cottage, S. of (5).

Condition—Fairly good.