Toller Porcorum

93 TOLLER PORCORUM (D.d.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XXX, S.W. ^(b)XXXIX, N.W.)

Toller Porcorum is a parish and village 6 m. S.E. of Beaminster. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1) Parish Church Of St. Peter stands in the village. The walls are of local rubble and flint with freestone dressings; the roofs are covered with slates and lead. The Chancel was built late in the 13th or early in the 14th century. Late in the 14th century the chancel-arch was rebuilt, the Nave probably widened towards the N. and the West Tower and North Porch, now the vestry, added. The chancel was restored and the South Aisle added in 1891 and in 1894–5 the church was further restored.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (15½ ft. by 12¼ ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall are two windows, the eastern of the 14th century and of one trefoiled ogee light with modern splays and sill, and the western of late 13th or early 14th-century date and of two trefoiled lights; in the W. splay is a modern opening to a squint; the 13th-century doorway has jambs and two-centred head of two chamfered orders. In the S. wall is a late 13th or early 14th-century window of two trefoiled lights with a modern label. The late 14th-century chancel-arch probably incorporates late 13th or early 14th-century materials; it is two-centred and of three chamfered orders; the moulded responds have each a modern marble shaft and late 14th-century moulded capping with a defaced head on the N. and a woman's head on the S. N. of the arch is the restored opening to the squint with a reused head once of two trefoiled ogee lights; S. of the arch is one jamb of the upper doorway to the former rood-loft.

The Nave (32¼ ft. by 19 ft.) has, in the N. wall, two windows largely modern but perhaps incorporating 14th or 15th-century material; near the W. end of the wall externally are the lines of a blocked window with a two-centred head; the 14th-century N. doorway has chamfered jambs and two-centred head. The S. arcade is modern.

The West Tower (12½ ft. by 11 ft.) is of late 14th-century date and of three storeys with an embattled parapet and gargoyles. The tower-arch is two-centred and of three moulded orders, the two outer continuous and the inner springing from attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The W. window is of four trefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head; the W. doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred arch with the upper member of the plinth carried over it as a label. The second storey has a small square-headed light in the S. wall. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with moulded reveals.

The North Porch has a late 14th-century outer archway with chamfered jambs and segmental-pointed head; it is now blocked and has a modern window in the blocking.

Fittings—Bells: four; 1st by Thomas Purdue, 1665; 2nd by T. Pyke of Bridgwater, 1779; 3rd by T. Bilbie of Cullompton, 1767; 4th with alphabetic inscription, by W. Purdue, 16th-century. Benefactor's Board: In W. tower, with details of George Browne's charity, painted c. 1774. Font (Plate 14): In two parts, upper of Ham Hill stone, octagonal, five sides with paterae in panels, 15th-century, lower part of white limestone in form of large capital with volutes and one ram's head at the angles and symbols between, moulded base, perhaps 12th or 13th-century. Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In churchyard—E. of chancel, (1) to Thomas Ford, 1681, and Elner Ford, table-tomb; (2) to John Fford, 166[3], table-tomb; N. of the chancel, (3) to Antony Symonds, 1626, table-tomb; (4) to John Galpin, 1707, and to John Fewer, vicar of Toller Fratrum etc., 1758, table-tomb; N. of porch, (5) to Eydeth, wife of Mathew Banger, 1611, table-tomb; (6) to Thomas Banger, 1711–2, and Robert Banger, 1669–70, table-tomb. Floor-slab: to . . . Banger, 1609. Plate: includes a cup of 1784 given by Mrs. Susanna Browne in 1785, a paten of 1778 and a flagon of 1769. Royal Arms: In nave—above N. door, painted on wood, of William IV.

Secular

Monuments (2–11)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are covered with thatch or modern materials. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams and original fireplaces.

^a(2) Stable, at the Vicarage 75 yards S.E. of the church, was perhaps part of the old vicarage.

^a(3) Cottage, on the S. side of the road 125 yards S.E. of the church.

^a(4) Cottage, two tenements, 125 yards S. of the church, was built early in the 18th century.

^a(5) Cottage, two tenements, on the S. side of the road 170 yards S.S.W. of the church, retains an original muntin and plank partition.

^a(6) Cottage, on the N. side of the road 40 yards W. of (5), was built probably early in the 18th century.

^a(7) Cottage, three tenements, 175 yards N.W. of the church.

^a(8) Horne Farm, house at lower Kingcombe, 1,500 yards N.W. of the church, has an early 18th-century extension on the N. This part of the house has doggates at the foot of the staircase.

^a(9) Cottage 80 yards N.W. of (8).

^a(10) Hooper's Farm, house 100 yards N.N.E. of (8), was built early in the 18th century and is partly faced with alternate courses of flint and stone.

^b(11) Woolcombe Farm, house nearly 1¾ m. S.S.W. of the church, has been rebuilt but incorporates two stone windows from the old building; one of these has a moulded label but has been partly adapted as a doorway.

Earthworks

^a(12) Lynchets, on a S.W. slope ½ m. E.N.E. of the church, form five terraces.