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St John The Baptist

Instow

Devon

Late C13/early C14 fabric to chancel.

Architectural Features

Perpendicular nave, west tower, south transept and north aisle, the latter added in 1547.

C19 pointed arched doorway with door of 2 boarded leaves, the upper part glazed with stained glass leaded lights.

4 straight-headed early C16 Perpendicular windows to north side of north aisle with gentle ogee heads to the lights.

Capitals to nave piers record erection of north aisle by "Rycharde Waterman (and) Emma His Wyf" in 1547.

Ceiled waggon roof to north aisle with carved bosses at each intersection of the moulded ribs and longitudinal members, and carved timber wall plates.

Similar roof to south transept with single moulded rib and crenellated timber wall plates with carved decoration.

Chancel floor retains patterns of Barnstaple tiles.

Lead- lined bowl to Norman font of block-capital shape on round stem.

Section of probably reused C17 communion rail to west end tower gallery with turned balusters and moulded handrail.

Monuments: 2 C17 wall monuments in south transept east and west walls to Downe family, father and son respectively.

West side, swan-necked pediment with central shield above medallion with bust of male figure in bold relief, leaning on skull and clasping book.

Wall monument, north wall of north aisle by J Kendall of Exeter to Humphrey Sibthorp, botanist, d. 1797.

At east end of north aisle, tablet with moulded stone surround to Rebecca Prince d. 1685 with oval tablet above to Frederick Holmes d. 1822.

Stained glass to north aisle and chancel east windows, to chancel lancet to H Hinchcliff d. 1906, to south transept east side by Myer and Co. to James Edward Allen and on south side to Richard White and Wife South side of nave to Thomas Lock and Captain Leonard Slater