MDE20392 - St Peter's Church, Trentishoe (Building)

A minute church, especially before the present chancel was built in 1861. It stands in no village, just by a farmstead in a sheltered fold below the bare downs, with the sea less than 1/2 mile away to the northwest. Tiny narrow west tower, rebuilt in 1638, narrower than the nave and now almost merging into the hillside. No asiles. Inside, there is a musicians' gallery, with a hole in the parapet where the double bass needed space beyond the narrow confines of the gallery. The tympanum which formerly existed between nave and chancel has been replaced by a chancel arch on corbels. [1] Parish church. C15 fabric to nave walls and tower, the latter with 1638 alterations, chancel built and church restored 1877. Stone rubble with ashlar dressings. Slate roofs. West tower, nave, chancel. Small narrow west tower has embattled parapet and small bell-openings in south and north sides, the latter with two 1638 dates above referring to alterations. C19 2-light window to left of south porch which has gabled slate roofs, rough stone voussoirs to the outer porch doorway arch and C19 semi-circular headed timber casing to possibly earlier concealed inner doorframe. C19 stepped 3-light lancet to east chancel end. 2 straight-headed windows of 2 virtually semi-circular-headed lights, that to left is C19 that to right retains most its original Perpendicular stonework including labelled hoodmould. Towards west end on north side is a C18 nowy-arched slate headstone reset on wall with inscription to members of the Stott family. Interior: C19 scissor-braced roof to chancel, common rafter roof to nave, 5 of the couples with archbracing. West gallery of 1731, 8 panels wide with winder staircase in north-west corner. Traces of painted date and inscription survive to central panels. C19 furnishings including font, pulpit, altar table and communion rails. Wall monuments. Nave north side: triangular headed slate to Richard Cooke and wife (d.1773 and 1784) above square slate tablet to Mary d. Of Morgan Cooke (d.1714) with verse and skull and hour glass to base. South side of nave: slate wall monuments to Capt. John Cooke of Ilfracombe by Watts (d.1859) and below to Margaret, wife of John Richards d. 1641. [2,3] Grinsell states that the church was dedicated to St Petrock, a Welsh saint. [4] The church contains a Roll of Honour dedicated to the men of Trentishoe and Martinhoe parishes who served during World War One. 33 names are recorded, 2 representing fallen parishioners. [5] The building was visited in September 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [6] A structure is present at this location on the 1842 Trentishoe Tithe map, within a parcel of land. They are labelled 63, which is described as "Church and Church Yard", owned by The Reverend Charles Griffiths as Glebe land. [7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [9]